The Allahabad High Court has issued a directive to the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) to provide a justification for mentioning an accused’s caste in First Information Reports (FIRs). This order, given by Justice Vinod Diwakar on March 3, addresses growing concerns over potential caste-based discrimination in police practices and its impact on law enforcement and public perception in a society where caste divisions are deeply entrenched.
The court’s inquiry stems from a plea to quash an FIR filed against Praveen Chetri, who was implicated under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Excise Act for his alleged involvement in a liquor smuggling operation across the states of Haryana and Bihar. Notably, the FIR detailed the caste of Chetri and others apprehended, prompting the court to question the necessity and implications of such disclosures.
Justice Diwakar emphasized that the Indian Constitution advocates for the abolition of caste-based discrimination, and the Supreme Court has also criticized the practice of specifying caste and religion in legal pleadings. “The DGP must file a personal affidavit explaining whether including caste information in FIRs serves any legal purpose or inadvertently fosters systemic discrimination,” Justice Diwakar remarked.
The case description provided by the prosecution portrays Chetri as a gang leader involved in smuggling liquor from Haryana to Bihar—a state where liquor is banned—and selling it at inflated prices. The operation allegedly involved frequent changes to vehicle number plates to evade law enforcement.
