Allahabad High Court Fines Accused for Misusing SC/ST Act
The Allahabad High Court dismissed a criminal appeal by 19 accused in a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, after identifying contradictions in the complainant’s statements.
Contradictions in Complainant’s Statements
The court found that the complainant, Smt. Ram Kali, contradicted her earlier statements and denied lodging the FIR that formed the basis of the case. This raised serious concerns about the misuse of the SC/ST Act.
Judgment Details
Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, deciding the appeal filed by Rameshwar Singh @ Rameshwar Pratap Singh and 18 others, observed that the circumstances revealed “a gross misuse of the benevolent provisions” of the SC/ST Act and “a serious abuse of the process of law.”
Proceedings During Hearing
- On November 4, 2025, counsel for the appellants claimed that the FIR was not lodged by the victim and that her thumb impression was taken on blank paper.
- This was denied by counsel for the complainant, affirming that the FIR was validly registered and no such claim had been made before.
- Due to the seriousness of the allegations, the court directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Yamunapar), the investigating officer, and the complainant to appear personally before the bench on November 6.
Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav stated the case involved “a gross misuse of the benevolent provisions” and “a serious abuse of the process of law.”
Order Date
The order was officially passed on November 6, 2025.
Author’s summary: The Allahabad High Court recognized misuse of the SC/ST Act in a case where the complainant contradicted her own statements, resulting in dismissal of the appeal and a directive for compensation refund.