Patna: An alleged racket involving the misuse of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, to file fraudulent cases and extort money has come to light in Bihar, according to an investigative report and sting operation by Dainik Bhaskar.
The report has alleged that a man identified as Ravi Yadav, who is not from an SC or ST community, used his wife Rinki’s Scheduled Caste status to facilitate cases under the Act. The allegations include filing false complaints against individuals in exchange for money and seeking witnesses and other support to strengthen such cases.
During the reported sting operation, Yadav allegedly told an undercover reporter that he could arrange a case involving allegations of sexual harassment and caste discrimination against a person for a payment. He reportedly claimed that the severity of the allegations and the number of witnesses could be increased depending on the amount paid.
According to the report, Yadav quoted Rs 2.5 lakh for arranging a purportedly false case, involving one complainant and three witnesses. The prospective client was also allegedly told to bear expenses related to travel, accommodation and food for those involved, besides legal fees.
Yadav also allegedly claimed that he had contacts in Bihar who were involved in similar activities and said he had learnt about the method from a relative in Muzaffarpur. He reportedly suggested that a case could be pursued through courts in Danapur or elsewhere and introduced the undercover reporter to his wife and her family.
The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was enacted to provide protection against caste-based atrocities and discrimination and prescribe special legal safeguards for members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The report has raised questions over the alleged exploitation of provisions providing monetary relief to victims. Under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, financial assistance can be released at different stages of proceedings, including following registration of an FIR and filing of a chargesheet, subject to the applicable rules and prescribed conditions.
The report also cited instances in which the Act was allegedly misused in disputes involving property, personal grievances and financial compensation. It referred to a 2018 Supreme Court judgment concerning safeguards against potential misuse of the legislation, noting that Parliament subsequently amended the law.
Separately, the Allahabad High Court recently ordered a statewide probe into compensation claims under the SC/ST Act after a case involving claims amounting to more than Rs 23 lakh came before it, according to the report.
Data cited in the report showed that cases registered under the SC/ST Act increased from 45,995 in 2020 to 52,866 in 2022 and 53,372 in 2023, before declining to 48,669 in 2024.
Any allegations of false complaints or extortion would require investigation and adjudication by the competent authorities and courts.
