Archive · 20 Jan 2026
Supreme Court Quashes SC/ST Case Against Bihar Man
The Supreme Court of India has decided to stop a case against a man from Bihar.
The man was accused under a law that protects people from certain castes and tribes.
The court said that just being present at the scene and having vague accusations is not enough to put someone on trial.
The case started because someone said the man and others hurt and insulted them using caste-related words.
But the court found no proof that the man did anything wrong or used caste-related words to insult anyone.
So, the court decided to stop the case against him.
The Supreme Court quashed criminal proceedings against Keshaw Mahto, a Bihar man accused under the SC/ST Act.
The court held that mere presence at the scene and vague allegations are insufficient to put someone on trial.
The case originated from an FIR lodged in 2019, alleging abuse and assault at an anganwadi centre with caste-related insults.
The Supreme Court found no specific overt act attributed to Mahto and no evidence of him uttering caste-based words or acting with the intention to humiliate the complainant.
The court reiterated that offences under the SC/ST Act are not attracted merely because the complainant belongs to a Scheduled Caste or Tribe, and that the abuse must be laced with the caste name and intended to humiliate.
- Who
- Keshaw Mahto, a Bihar man accused under the SC/ST Act
- What
- Supreme Court quashed criminal proceedings against him
- When
- The case originated from an FIR lodged in 2019
- Where
- The trial court was in Bhagalpur, Bihar; the case was heard in the Supreme Court
- Why
- The court found that mere presence and vague allegations were insufficient to put him on trial
- Appellant
- Keshaw Mahto
- Court
- Supreme Court of India
- Act
- Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act
- Sections Involved
- 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s)
- Year of FIR
- 2019
- Trial Court Location
- Bhagalpur, Bihar
- High Court Involved
- Patna High Court
- Supreme Court Bench
- Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Alok Aradhe
