The Karnataka High Court has quashed a criminal case against seven students from Jain University’s Centre for Management Studies, Bengaluru, accused of making derogatory remarks about Dalits during a college skit. The court ruled that the performance, criticized for its portrayal of reservation policies, was satirical and did not intend to demean members of the SC/ST community.
Justice S R Krishna Kumar, overseeing the case, highlighted that the skit performed at a college festival should be viewed within the context of satire and entertainment. The performance, which drew significant attention online, was protected under Article 19 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression.
The controversy began when a video of the students, part of the theatre group ‘The Delroys Boys,’ performing a Mad Ads skit at a college event went viral. The skit, which touched upon the sensitive topic of reservation, was criticized for allegedly containing derogatory remarks directed at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the Dalit community. This prompted Madhusudhan K N, an assistant director at the Social Welfare Department, to file a complaint with the Siddapura police on February 10, 2023.
The students, along with two faculty members — director Neelkant Borkar and assistant professor Praveen Thokdar — were initially booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including promoting enmity between communities, unlawful assembly, and outraging religious sentiments, in addition to provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
In its ruling, the court observed that the FIR had not been lodged by a member of the SC/ST community and noted the absence of evidence suggesting a deliberate attempt by the students to insult or intimidate Dalits. Citing Supreme Court judgments, Justice Krishna Kumar stated that continuing the case would constitute an “abuse of process of law,” leading to the dismissal of all charges and halting further investigation.
