HC grants bail to Agra techie’smother-in-law & sister-in-law

Prayagraj: Allahabad high court has granted bail to mother-in-law and sister-in-law of Manav Sharma, an Agra-based IT executive who committed suicide in February this year. Justice Sameer Jain allowed the bail application of Punam Sharma (mother-in-law) and one of the sister-in-law after hearing applicant's counsel and state government counsel."There is no cogent evidence of abetment against the applicants and it appears that Manav ended his life due to matrimonial dispute with his wife and thereafter the applicants, who are her close family members, have been made accused in the present matter," argued applicant counsel.The court while allowing the bail application observed, "As per the allegation, applicants, who are mother-in-law and sister-in-law of the deceased used to torture him, therefore, he committed suicide but only general allegations have been leveledagainst them and this court finds merit in the argument advanced by the counsel for the applicants that there is no cogent evidence of abetment against the applicants on record.""Further, applicants are ladies and they are not having any criminal history and in the present matter they are in jail since March 15, 2025. Therefore, considering the facts and circumstances of the case discussed above, in my view, applicants are entitled to be released on bail," added the court in its order passed on Monday. The FIR in the present matter was lodged alleging that Manav's wife Nikita, her parents and siblings abetted his suicide. The FIR was registered under section 108 (abetment of suicide)of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act this year.Before taking the drastic step, Sharma recorded a video, in which he was seen crying and urging society to acknowledge the challenges faced by men. He repeatedly appealed to people to "think and talk about men".