A Delhi court on Wednesday sent a married couple, Ruby Jain and Harsh, to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with a case involving alleged racial abuse against their neighbours from Arunachal Pradesh.
The accused were produced before Additional Sessions Judge Samar Vishal, who remanded them to custody till March 11. The couple had been arrested earlier in the day by Delhi Police.
Alleged Racial Abuse During Dispute Over Repair Work
According to police, the incident took place on February 20 in Malviya Nagar, South Delhi, during a dispute over repair work at a rented accommodation.
Ruby Jain is accused of making abusive and derogatory racial remarks against three women from Arunachal Pradesh during the altercation. Following a complaint, an FIR was registered at Malviya Nagar Police Station, leading to the couple’s arrest.
Charges Invoked Under BNS and SC/ST Act
Police said the case was initially registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to:
- Criminal intimidation
- Insulting the modesty of women
- Promoting enmity between groups
Additionally, provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were invoked against the accused woman.
Defence Argues SC/ST Act Not Applicable
Appearing for the accused, advocate Gaurav argued that the SC/ST Act provisions do not apply in this case, claiming the alleged remarks were not made in “public view” as required under Section 3 of the Act.
He further stated that the comments were made in the heat of the moment and that the couple had apologised and expressed regret.
Political Leaders Condemn Incident
Reacting to the incident, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu strongly condemned the alleged abuse and said atrocities against people from the Northeast will not be tolerated. They assured strict action against those found guilty.