Delhi Court Denies Bail to Ajeet Bharti in SC-ST ACT Case
· India · India Today, Indian Express, livelaw.in
A Delhi court has denied anticipatory bail to YouTuber Ajeet Bharti in a case registered under the SC/ST ACT. The court's order states that Bharti prima facie invoked caste hierarchy and notions of purity in his remarks against Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan. Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler observed that Bharti's comments questioning whether Azad was "worthy" of marrying an upper-caste woman were specific references to caste and were humiliating. The court concluded that these statements attracted the ingredients of an offence under Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST ACT, which prohibits intentional insults to members of Scheduled Castes. The case stems from comments made by the 38-year-old activist during a YouTube live stream.
Why it matters
The court's ruling sets a legal precedent regarding the limits of public speech when it invokes caste-based hierarchies and derogatory social notions.
Read the original report — India Today
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