The Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has refused to extend anticipatory bail to two men who identified themselves as journalists and allegedly branded a Dalit schoolteacher a “chindi chor” — loosely translating to “petty thief” — in a published news report.
The case stems from an incident earlier this year when the men, Mukesh Kumawat and Mohit Jat, visited a school during examinations. They claimed they were there to expose alleged illegal fee collections from students, but events quickly spiraled. According to the complaint, the two confronted a teacher over a student’s attendance classification, were stopped from filming inside the exam hall, and later allegedly assaulted and hurled caste-based slurs at her on her way home.
Justice Gajendra Singh observed that the phrase used in the news article itself indicated an intention to humiliate. “The word ‘chindi chor’ carries the meaning of a petty or miserly thief. Given the circumstances, the insult appears deliberate,” the order noted, stressing that the teacher’s Scheduled Caste identity was clearly central to the matter.
The accused countered that the charges were fabricated, insisting they had merely tried to report on misconduct at the school. But the State pushed back, pointing to the legal bar on anticipatory bail under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act whenever a prima facie case is established. The court agreed, noting that the teacher’s caste status and the nature of the allegations left little room for relief.
The ruling underscores the court’s stance that those claiming press credentials cannot shield themselves from accountability when their conduct suggests humiliation targeted at caste identity. With the appeals dismissed, the accused will now have to face proceedings without the protective cover of anticipatory bail.