The Allahabad High Court has provided a significant clarification regarding the application of the SC-ST Act in cases involving professional relationships. The court ruled that addressing an individual by their profession, such as using the term “Dhobin” for a washerwoman, does not automatically constitute an offense under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Justice Anil Kumar-X noted that for such words to be considered a crime, it must be proven that they were used with a deliberate intent to humiliate the person based on their caste identity.
ℹ: Gurgaon Road Accident: Blinkit Delivery Executive Crushed to Death by Truck in Udyog Vihar।
Key Details of the Case and Court Observations
The ruling came during the hearing of a criminal appeal filed by Harshit, also known as Honey, who challenged a summons order from a special court in Gautam Buddha Nagar. The dispute originally started over a demand for unpaid labor wages between the appellant and the complainant, Kamlesh Devi. The court found that because a contractual relationship existed between the two parties, the use of the term was a reference to her actual job as a washerwoman rather than a caste-based slur. The bench emphasized that the SC-ST Act should not be used in routine civil or professional disputes without the presence of mens rea or guilty intent to insult.
Current Status of Legal Proceedings
While the High Court quashed the specific charges under the SC-ST Act, the legal proceedings against the appellant will continue for other alleged offenses. The trial court will proceed with charges related to the Indian Penal Code as the court did not dismiss the entire case. The following charges remain active:
- Section 323: Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt
- Section 504: Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace
- Section 506: Criminal intimidation
Legal experts suggest that this judgment reinforces the principle that professional references in a workplace or contractual setting do not naturally attract the provisions of the SC-ST Act unless caste-based malice is clearly evident.
