Hurling caste related abuse with the view to insult or humiliate will not bring the same within the ambit of section 3(1)(x) of the SC/ST- Supreme Court

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO…………/2023

[ARISING OUT OF SLP (CRL) NO. 1249/2023]

Ramesh Chandra Vaishya                                                                                                                                                                                                                    …APPELLANT

VS.

The State of Uttar Pradesh & Anr.                                                                                                                                                                                                  …RESPONDENTS

Judgments

DIPANKAR DATTA, J.

Leave granted.

2. The present appeal, by special leave, questions the judgment and order dated 23rd May, 2022 passed by a learned Single Judge of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad (“High Court”, hereafter) dismissing an application under section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 19731 (“Cr. PC”, hereafter) instituted by the appellant seeking quashing of the charge-sheet as well as the pending criminal proceedings2 . ; Criminal Case No. 376 of 2016 1

3. In a nutshell, the prosecution's case is that on 14th January, 2016, at about 7.00 am, the appellant was engaged in an altercation with the second respondent (“complainant”, hereafter) over the issue of drainage of water. It is alleged that during this altercation, the appellant verbally hurled caste related abuses towards the complainant and his family members, and subsequently physically assaulted the complainant causing him multiple injuries. Consequently, on 20th January, 2016, a First Information Report (“first F.I.R”, hereafter) was registered against the appellant under sections 323 and 504, Indian Penal Code, 1860 (“IPC”, hereafter) and 3(1)(x), the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (“SC/ST Act”, hereafter).

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