India, Jan. 21 -- The Supreme Court has ruled that merely using abusive language against a person belonging to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe does not automatically constitute an offence under the SC/ST Act unless there is a clear intent to humiliate the person based on caste. "For an offence to be made out, it must be shown that the accused intentionally insulted or intimidated the victim on the ground that the victim belonged to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe," said the bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and Alok Aradhe on Monday.

The significant ruling by the court came as it cancelled criminal proceedings against Keshav Mahato, who was accused of abusing a person from the Scheduled Caste at an Anganwadi centre in Bihar. The S...