The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea by Abhinav Delkar, son of former Lok Sabha MP Mohan Delkar, challenging the Bombay High Court’s September 8, 2022, decision to quash an FIR against nine individuals accused of abetting the MP’s suicide in 2021. The bench, led by Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, upheld the high court’s ruling after reserving its verdict on August 4, ending a high-profile legal battle.

Mohan Delkar, a seven-term MP from Dadra and Nagar Haveli, was found dead in a Mumbai hotel on February 22, 2021, in an apparent suicide. His note, recovered by Mumbai Police, alleged harassment and intimidation by several individuals, including Praful Khoda Patel, then-administrator of the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, along with other bureaucrats and political figures. The FIR, filed under sections for abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy, named Patel and eight others.

The Bombay High Court quashed the FIR, citing insufficient evidence to substantiate abetment claims, a decision Abhinav Delkar contested, alleging political influence and seeking justice for his father. The Supreme Court’s rejection of the plea drew criticism on X, with users like @DNHCongress labeling it a “miscarriage of justice” and accusing authorities of shielding powerful figures. Others, like @silvassa_news, noted the case’s political sensitivity, given Delkar’s prominence as an Independent MP.

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The ruling closes a chapter on a case that spotlighted mental health and political pressures in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, where Delkar was a revered tribal leader. Abhinav, now an MLA, vowed to continue seeking accountability through other legal avenues.

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