In Brief
On 11 August 2020, a group of men enraged by allegedly derogatory Facebook posts about the Prophet stormed a house, destroyed property, robbed valuables, and set fire to it. The appellant (Accused No. 22) was arrested and charged with offences including rioting, robbery, and arson, along with violations of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Supreme Court allowed his bail appeal, holding that since the appellant himself belongs to a Scheduled Caste, he cannot be prosecuted under the SC/ST Act. Additionally, witness statements showed only that he appeared at the scene and whispered to others before leaving—insufficient evidence of direct participation in arson or robbery, justifying bail grant."
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