Stigma surrounding mental illness in India often leads to under-reporting and misdiagnosis, the Bombay High Court observed while granting bail to a man, suffering from schizophrenia. Pradeepkumar Murugan, 35, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his father in 2015.
“Mental health is a state of well-being that enables people to cope with life’s stresses. Unfortunately, societal stigma often leads to discrimination and exclusion,” a bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande said.
The court took on record statement of Murugan’s sister who assured to take care of him if granted bail. The HC has directed his release on a personal bond of Rs25,000 pending the appeal.
The court relied on a recent mental health report from Yerwada Central Prison, Pune, which confirmed that the convict, Murugan, suffers from schizophrenia. The report noted he is “behaviourally and mentally unstable”, currently admitted to the psychiatry ward due to worsening psychotic symptoms, and requires continuous psychotropic medication.
The high court stated, “Schizophrenia is an overpowering mental illness, where a person may seem normal at one moment and abnormal the next.”
Murugan’s advocate Satyavrat Joshi submitted that during his trial, the sessions judge was informed that he was legally insane under Section 84 of the IPC. His defence presented a psychiatrist who testified to his mental health history, citing episodes of depression, suicidal thoughts, and socially withdrawn behaviour.
His sister also testified about his erratic behaviour dating back to 2010, including hearing voices and paranoid delusions. She explained that his untreated illness led to marital discord and eventual divorce.
Despite this, the trial court rejected the insanity plea, observing that the magistrate who initially remanded him to custody did not notice signs of mental illness.
The high court, however, noted flaws in the trial court’s reasoning. It said, “It is not uncommon for laypersons or even magistrates to miss the symptoms of schizophrenia, as they are not experts in mental health.”
The court added that stigma surrounding mental illness in India often leads to under-reporting and misdiagnosis, remarking, “Mental health is a state of well-being that enables people to cope with life’s stresses. Unfortunately, societal stigma often leads to discrimination and exclusion.”
Acknowledging the safety concerns regarding his release, the court directed Murugan’s sister to submit an affidavit outlining steps to ensure his continued treatment and the safety of their neighbourhood.
It stated, “Mental health matters, and it embraces healing. His release must not pose a danger to others.”
The court suspended Murugan’s sentence, stating, “Prima facie, the trial judge failed to consider key evidence of his mental condition.”
