The Hon’ble Supreme Court on Saturday dismissed all charges against Rajya Sabha MP RS Bharathi, who was facing criminal charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act over a speech made by him.
A Division Bench headed by Justices L.Nageshwara Rao and Aniruddha Bose clarified that there was nothing in the speech which contravened the offences under either Section 3(1)(u) or 3(1)(v) of the SC-ST Act. The Court further said that it could not find anything disrespectful against Justice Varadarajan in the speech.
A criminal case was filed against the MP after he made a speech in a public meeting organised by the DMK party. He pointed out the appointment of Justice Varadarajan as High Court’s Judge during the tenure of late M. Karunanidhi as the Chief Minister. He went on to say that all these appointments of persons belonging to SC and ST were possible because of the mercy of the Dravidian movement. These remarks made by him drew much furore among the people and the Hon’ble High Court refused to quash the criminal proceedings against the MP.
The Hon’ble Court while explaining the instances where the sections 3(1)(u) and 3(1)(a) can be invoked, observed that speech made by MP only highlighted how the members of SC and ST were benefited during the tenure of late M. Karunanidhi as CM.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court further held that the High Court has erred in interpreting that MP has belittled the persons belonging to SC and ST.
