The Supreme Court has ruled that mere use of abusive language against a person from a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe does not constitute an offence under the SC/ST Act unless it is specifically intended to humiliate the individual based on caste. The ruling came as the court cancelled criminal proceedings against Keshav Mahato, accused of abusing a Scheduled Caste individual at a Bihar Anganwadi centre, noting that neither the FIR nor the chargesheet alleged caste-based intent.
Citing Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST Act, the court clarified that two conditions must be met for conviction: the victim must belong to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, and the abuse or insult must be motivated by caste. Justices JB Pardiwala and Alok Aradhe highlighted that both the trial court and Patna High Court erred in allowing the case to proceed without allegations of caste-based insult or threat.
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