Supreme Court Discharges Employers in Electrocution Case

Last Updated on March 11, 2025 by Athi Venkatesh

The Supreme Court has discharged two employers accused of causing the deaths of their workers due to electrocution. The workers were decorating a shop’s front and using an iron ladder when they were electrocuted. The Trial Court and High Court rejected their discharge plea, holding them liable under Section 304 Part II of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

The employers challenged the decision, arguing that they lacked intent or knowledge to cause death. They also contended that there was no evidence of rash or negligent behavior to justify the charges under Section 304 Part II IPC.

A bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan ruled in favor of the employers. The Court stated that lower courts should have taken a prima facie view while deciding the discharge plea. The judgment, authored by Justice Bhuyan, emphasized that the incident was purely accidental. The deceased workers were working on a signboard at a height of 12 feet when they were electrocuted and fell, suffering fatal injuries.

The Court found no basis to charge the employers under Section 304 Part II IPC. It also noted that the Trial Court only considered culpability under this section, as the case was committed to the Court of Sessions without allegations under Section 304A IPC (death by negligence).

Allowing the appeal, the Supreme Court discharged the employers from liability under Section 304 Part II IPC.