MP High Court Denies Relief To Journalists Under SC/ST Act For Derogatory News Report

The Madhya Pradesh High Court rejected petitions by journalists accused of violating the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by calling a Scheduled Caste teacher “Chindi Chor” in a news report. The Court emphasized that using caste-linked derogatory terms amounts to prima facie humiliation under the Act, disentitling the accused from relief. The judgment reaffirms the strict stance taken by courts in caste atrocity matters, making it clear that the media cannot invoke press freedom to justify caste-based slurs or defamatory reporting that targets dignity on the basis of community identity.