Bureau Prayagraj- Dalit-tribal accused were asked to clean police stations by Supreme Court The Supreme Court on Monday slammed Odisha courts for imposing bail conditions under which accused from Dalit and tribal communities had to clean police stations for two months. Taking serious objection to these directions, the Court termed the condition as “evil” and said that it shows caste discrimination.
The court said, “We are deeply disappointed and dismayed, and express our strong disapproval at the manner in which the judiciary of the State of Odisha has virtually reverted to the colonial mentality by imposing such harsh, humiliating and humiliating conditions, which are a clear violation of human rights. Such conditions, instead of furthering the cause of justice, strike at the dignity of the accused, and proceed on the basis of the offence, which is completely unjustified in law.”
The court declared the bail conditions “null and void”. The court also directed all courts not to impose such bail conditions in any future orders. The court said, “We believe that the judiciary of any other state should not impose such caste-discriminatory and oppressive conditions which are likely to give rise to serious social conflict.” Also, the court directed to send a copy of the order to all the high courts across the country.
The court said that such bad conditions make it appear that the judiciary of the state is caste-discriminating, because the accused belonged to the backward community. The Court said, “There appears to be some substance in the report that no conditions are being imposed by the State Judiciary in cases where the accused belong to the privileged sections of the society. Assuming that such conditions were imposed unknowingly or without any premeditated prejudice, the nature of the conditions is so abhorrent, cruel, humiliating and unknown to law, that it has the potential to raise a serious indictment by suggesting that the Odisha Judiciary is suffering from caste-based bias.”
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