The court dismissed Bharti’s plea after hearing arguments from both his defence counsel and Delhi Police on the maintainability of anticipatory bail.
Bharti argued that his remarks were made in response to provocation involving a family member and denied making a casteist slur.
The case comes amid wider debates over caste-based reservations and protests against UGC equity regulations that Bharti had publicly criticised.
Delhi Court Rejects YouTuber Ajeet Bharti's Anticipatory Bail Plea In SC/ST Act Case
YouTuber Ajeet Bharti faces an SC/ST Act case over alleged casteist and abusive remarks against Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad during an August 22 YouTube broadcast
Summary
A Delhi court on Monday rejected YouTuber Ajeet Bharti’s anticipatory bail plea in a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. PTI reported that the case was registered in August at Delhi’s North Avenue police station after a complaint linked to alleged casteist remarks in one of his YouTube streams.
Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh dismissed Bharti’s plea. The complaint was filed by the Delhi unit president of the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), which is led by Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad.
The case stems from a clip from Bharti’s August 22 YouTube broadcast titled "SB79: Reservation Hatao Andolan Nautanki & More | Saptahik Bakaiti". He was accused of making casteist, abusive and objectionable remarks. The matter has drawn attention because the SC/ST Act can limit anticipatory bail in applicable cases and carries criminal penalties.
Complaint And Broadcast
The Delhi unit president of the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) lodged the complaint at North Avenue police station in Delhi. The party is led by Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad.
The complaint cited a clip from Bharti’s August 22 YouTube broadcast titled "SB79: Reservation Hatao Andolan Nautanki & More | Saptahik Bakaiti". The FIR followed allegations that he used casteist and abusive language during that stream.
Bharti denied using a casteist word against Azad after the case was filed. He called the FIR "pressure-driven" and said the case "would not stand in court for even two minutes".
Courtroom Hearing Arguments
The dispute reached court on Monday. During the hearing, Bharti’s advocate argued that he did not make any casteist slur. The defence also told the court that Bharti had responded to a grave provocation against his family member, PTI reported.
Delhi Police opposed the plea. It informed the court that Bharti’s anticipatory bail application was not maintainable, Bar and Bench reported. Police also told the court that there should not be any apprehension of arrest merely because a case had been registered.
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Judge Singh nevertheless dismissed the plea. A detailed order was awaited and was expected by Monday evening.
Act And Context
The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is intended to protect Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from caste-based humiliation, violence, discrimination and social or economic exclusion.
Its provisions can carry imprisonment. The Act can also restrict anticipatory bail in applicable cases and requires prompt investigation.
The case also sits within a larger political campaign. Bharti is among influencers who amplified online campaigns to reform caste-based reservations and the now-stayed UGC equity regulations. He said the UGC equity regulations "unfairly targetted the upper-castes".
His remarks came a day after thousands from "the upper castes" gathered at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The event was a show of strength by groups opposing the UGC equity norms and seeking reforms in caste-based reservations
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Live Stream Remarks
The remarks in question came during a live interaction. A user commented, "Ajeet Bharti, get your sister married to MP Chandrashekhar and reservation will end," during Bharti’s YouTube stream.
Bharti replied that he would not get his sister married to "a fool like Chandrashekhar". He also referred to the caste term "cha*ar" and made derogatory remarks about Chandrashekhar Azad’s appearance.
He then escalated the exchange. Bharti said Azad "wasn't even worth spitting on". He also made a series of sexually explicit and abusive comments directed at the commenter’s sister and mother.
Bharti further invoked BR Ambedkar’s marriage to a Brahmin woman. He said Ambedkar had earned his degrees without reservation.
He also turned on other users in the chat. Bharti called those commenting against him "a bunch of idiots" and said, "I am going to teach you this everyday."
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