Summary of this article
Delhi court reserves bail order for couple accused of racial slurs against three women from Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur in Malviya Nagar dispute.
Defence claims spontaneous neighbour row without tribal targeting, while prosecution warns of witness influence and post-incident intimidation.
One victim from Manipur fled Delhi amid ethnic violence; video dissemination sparked political backlash from northeastern leaders.
A Delhi court has reserved its order on the bail applications of a couple accused of directing racial slurs at three women from Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur during a neighbourhood dispute.
Additional Sessions Judge Samar Vishal heard submissions from both sides on Monday and set the verdict for Tuesday. According to PTI, the accused, Harsh Priya Singh and Ruby Jain, were arrested on 25 February by Delhi Police over the alleged incident in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar area.
The row, which erupted on 20 February over debris from an air conditioner installation at their rented home, led to charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as well as sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal intimidation, insult to the modesty of women, and promoting enmity between groups.
Defence counsel Gaurav described the matter as a spontaneous clash between neighbours, in which both sides exchanged questionable language and derogatory remarks. He maintained it did not amount to racial discrimination under the SC/ST Act, since the accused were unaware of the complainants' tribal status and avoided terms targeting their identity.
Gaurav added that the dispute took place inside their rented accommodation, which did not qualify as a "public place" under Section 3 of the Act. PTI reported that he noted the accused had themselves dialled the Police Control Room, feeling intimidated by the complainants' words.
The lawyer further contended that police had collected all relevant evidence, and the couple had voluntarily assisted the probe before their detention, leaving no grounds for custody. On Section 196 of the BNS—promoting enmity between racial groups—he argued it did not apply, as the complainants had shared the video with friends, sparking its online spread.
Gaurav highlighted Ruby Jain's worsening health in jail due to disrupted treatment, without specifying the ailment. He urged consideration of her case under Section 480 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which allows bail for women in non-bailable offences, and linked her condition to mood swings and heightened aggression that might have influenced her actions.
Complainants' advocate Liyi Noshi resisted the pleas, citing the ongoing investigation and the risk of the accused tampering with witnesses. An electrician who witnessed the event while fitting the air conditioner remains unexamined, she said.
Noshi alleged post-incident intimidation, including a summons to the landlord's home for "mediation" that pressured the women to drop the issue. She claimed the trio feared for their safety after unidentified visitors appeared at their door late at night. According to PTI, she detailed the profound effects on the victims, with one woman from Manipur forced to flee Delhi amid the state's ethnic unrest.
Challenging the defence on the video, Noshi clarified that the complainants had only forwarded it privately for support, and its public upload stemmed from subsequent sharing beyond their influence. On the racial angle, she quoted the accused as saying, "You northeastern people are shit", and asked, "how is that not a derogatory remark attacking a certain community?"
Gaurav rejected intimidation claims, pointing out no related complaints had been lodged. He accused the case of political meddling and media frenzy, remarking: "Everyone, from the chief ministers of the seven sister states to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, joined in to comment on this case after the media covered this incident. If we need to be political, there are bigger matters in the country."
(with inputs from PTI)
