‘Draconian, Unjust’: Anand Ranganathan Warns Over SC/ST Act As IIT-Bombay Case Reignites Debate
The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has come under renewed debate following the recent IIT-Bombay case, where faculty member Suryanarayan Dulla has been booked under the SC/ST Act after Sahil Wakode’s father alleged caste-based harassment and mental abuse. In an episode of Scrutiny, author and political commentator Anand Ranganathan had examined the 2018 amendments to the law and raised concerns about their potential misuse. Ranganathan discussed provisions relating to FIR registration, anticipatory bail and approval for arrests in cases registered under the Act. He referred to concerns previously raised by the Supreme Court about the possibility of false cases and misuse. He also discussed the subsequent legislative changes and later Supreme Court rulings that modified some aspects of the law, including anticipatory bail. Ranganathan argued that certain provisions could be used for purposes such as blackmail, settling scores and land disputes.
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