Gangtok, Jan. 31 -- The Supreme Court has ruled that a case filed under the SC/ST Act cannot proceed because the alleged incident did not occur in a place considered to be "within public view."

A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih made this decision on Friday. According to the court, for an act to qualify as an offense under the SC/ST Act, it must take place in a location where the public can see or hear the accused making offensive remarks.

What Happened? The case involved a man named Karuppudayar, who was accused of abusing a revenue inspector in Trichy using caste-based insults. According to the FIR, the incident occurred inside the complainant's office. The accused had gone there to inquire about a petit...