Abet [from a (ad vel usque), and bedan, or beteren, to stir up or excite, Sax.], to maintain or patronise: to encourage or set on. The act is called abetment. An abettor or abettator is an instigator or setter on, one who promotes or procures a crime to be committed, Old Nat. Br. 21. See ACCESSARY.
With its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, shall have the same meaning as in the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860). With its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, shall have the same meaning as in the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860). [General Clauses Act, 1897 (10 of 1897), s. 3 (1)]
Defined. (Abetment of a thing.-A person abets the doing of a thing, who-
First.-Instigates any person to do that thing; or
Secondly.-Engages with one or more other person or persons in any conspiracy for the doing of that thing, if an act or illegal omission takes place in pursuance of that conspiracy, and in order to the doing of that thing; or
Thirdly.-Intentionally aids, by any act or illegal omission, the doing of that thing.
Explanation 1.-A person who, by wilful misrepresentation, or by wilful concealment of a material fact which he is bound to disclose, voluntarily causes or procures, or attempts to cause or procure, a thing to be done, is said to instigate the doing of that thing.
Illustration
A, a public officer, is authorized by a warrant from a Court of Justice to apprehend Z. B, knowing that fact and also that C is not Z, wilfully represents to A that C is Z, and thereby intentionally causes A to apprehend C. Here B abets by instigation the apprehension of C.
Explanation 2.-Whoever, either prior to or at the time of the commission of an act, does anything in order to facilitate the commission of that act, and thereby facilitate the commission thereof, is said to aid the doing of that act. [Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), s. 107; See also General Clauses Act (1 of 1897), s. 107; See also Peoples' Union of Civil Liberties v. Union of India, AIR 2004 SC 456]
Means to encourage and assist someone in the commission of a crime. To support a crime by active assistance, Black Law Dictionary, 7th Edn., p. 4.
Inclusive definition of abet although expansive in nature communication or association must be read to mean such communication or association which is in aid of or reader assistance in the commission of organised crime, Ranjitsingh Brahmajeetsingh Sharma v. State of Maharashtra, AIR 2005 SC 2277.