new delhi an illicit relationship can become a ground for seeking divorce and it can be called an immoral act but it cannot be termed a criminal act a trial court has said the court has also acquitted a man of the charge of abetting the suicide of his wife who allegedly hanged herself due to his extramarital affair the act of the accused in having an illicit relationship may show his disloyalty to his wife it may be betrayal of faith but would not travel beyond the realm of being an immoral act to the territory of a criminal act inviting punishment under penal statute it could have certainly given rise to his wife to seek divorce but will not fall within the ambit of section 306 abetment of suicide of ipc additional sessions judge manoj jain said the court also noted that the allegation that the man had an illicit relationship could not be proved in the case in hand though factum of extramarital does not stand proved to the hilt yet even if the same is assumed such conduct in itself will not take the case of prosecution anywhere near the abetment it said while granting benefit of doubt to the accused the woman had allegedly committed suicide in 2011 after she found out about her husbands extramarital affair within one year of marriage she had married the accused against the wishes of her family the complaint was lodged by the womans brother who also claimed that his sister was regularly beaten up by the accused the prosecution while blaming the accused for compelling his wife to take her life said that in the context of indian culture and tradition if any wife comes to know about husbands extramarital relations it can certainly disturb her mental peace the accused was chargesheeted for the offence of abetment of suicide to which he pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations levelled against him