Above: Activists shouting slogans during pratirodh march against atrocities on dalit people in Patna (file pic)/Photo: UNI

In order to prevent the misuse of provisions of Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, the Supreme Court passed a slew of directions on Tuesday (March 20).

The bench comprising of Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and Uday Umesh Lalit said that there shall be no immediate arrest in cases lodged under SC/ST Act against public servants.

“Before effecting arrest of a public servant under SC/ST Act, a preliminary probe is a must by an officer not below the rank of Deputy SP. A public servant can be arrested in cases lodged under the Act only after grant of approval by competent authority. And there is no absolute bar in granting anticipatory bail in cases lodged against public servants under the Act,” the bench said.

—India Legal Bureau