#caste-based insult

Allahabad HC quashed a summoning order under the SC/ST Act, ruling that a civil dispute cannot ground prosecution unless allegations disclose a prima facie caste-based insult. The court emphasized that summoning orders must reflect independent judicial satisfaction, not mechanical application.

The Allahabad High Court ruled that caste-based insults exchanged in a private setting, without public corroboration or a broader discriminatory context, do not prima facie attract the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The decision underscores the necessity of a public dimension for offences under the Act, impacting bail jurisprudence in caste-related cases.