The Supreme Court has emphasized that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were brought with the aim of improving the socio-economic status of the weaker section and it prohibits bail before arrest to the accused.

Chief Justice Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai, Justice K.K. Vinod Chandran and Justice N. V. Anjaria’s bench made this comment in a decision. The bench dismissed the order of the Bombay High Court for granting anticipatory bail to an accused facing allegations of caste atrocities.

The bench cited Section 18 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and said that it clearly provides not to implement Section 438 (providing anticipatory bail) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC). The court said, “The provision of Section 18 and the ban fixed under it should be seen in the context of the objective and purpose with which Parliament enacted the SC/ST Act, 1989.”

The bench said, “This law was implemented with the aim of implementing measures to improve the socio-economic status of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.” The court said, “The underlying idea is to ensure that people belonging to these classes are not deprived of their civil rights, do not face insults and they are saved from humiliation and harassment.”

The Supreme Court said that it seems to be a strict provision and it outlines the constitutional idea of ​​obtaining social justice and ensuring equal status for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes community as other sections of the society. The bench accepted the appeal filed by the complainant Kiran against the 29 April order of the High Court.

Regarding an FIR lodged at Parda police station in Dharashiv district, despite rejecting such relief from the Additional Sessions Judge of Paranda, the High Court granted Rajkumar Jeevraj Jain to the arrest. According to the complaint, on 25 November 2024, Jain and others allegedly argued with Kiran’s house and abused him and his family.