SC-ST Act applicable only if there is intention to humiliate: Supreme Court

An offence under the SC-ST Act is not established merely on the fact that the complainant is a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe community unless there is an intention to humiliate, the Supreme Court said on Friday.

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A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra made the observation while granting anticipatory bail to YouTuber Shajan Skaria, who runs the "Marunadan Malayali" channel on the videostreaming platform. Skaria had challenged the denial of anticipatory bail to him by the Kerala High Court in a criminal case lodged against him by MLA P V Sreenijin.

Sreenijin had got the FIR lodged for offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Skaria, alleging that he had intentionally humiliated the lawmaker by making false allegations through a video uploaded on "Marunadan Malayali".