IPC's Section 84 plea doesn't work in practice, period.

Akhil Katyal vs State (2019) is often cited as a case where a man was acquitted due to insanity under Section 84. But, let's be real, these cases rarely happen. Insanity defenses are hard to prove, and even when they are, juries rarely agree. And what about 'diagnosis' - how do you even define madness in a court? We teach students about the 'irresistible impulse' test, but that's just a myth. In practice, judges are too quick to dismiss these pleas, and rightfully so. It's a cop-out, and not a genuine defense. We teach students to cling to this outdated section without questioning its practical applicability. I say it's time to rethink our approach to the insanity defense in Indian criminal law.