Sketch controversy: Karnataka High Court raises criminal proceedings against students

A protest that was organized by students near the entrance to the postgraduate campus of the University of Mysore in Manasagangothri against the alleged insult of BR AMBEDKAR and DALITS, which was caused by a controversial sketch in February 2023 in Bengaluru. | Photo loan: File photo

The High Court of Karnataka Has Quashed Criminal Proceedings Initiated Against Two Members of the Faculty and Seven Students of Center for Management Studies (CMS) of Jain (Deemed-to-Be) University on the Allegation that they Insulted Br Ambedar and Dalit Communities in A Skit Enected During The Inter-Collegiate Jain University Youth Fest-23 Held in February 2023 in the City.

Justice SR Krishna Kumar has issued the command while he allowed Dinesh Nilkant Borker, director of CMS, Prateek Thodkar P., assistant professor and seven students.

Sections Sections 153-A, 149 and 295-A of the Indian Criminal Code and Sections 3 (1) (R) (s) and (V) of the planned caste and the planned tribes (prevention of atrocities) were called in 1989 against the petents, which was based on a complaint that was based on a complaint that was given by a deputy director of the state government's social well-being of the state government corresponds.

Freedom of speech

“… the sketch/short game listed by the petents was in the nature of satire/entertainment, which is protected according to Article 19 of the constitution of India, guarantees the freedom of speech and expression and the FIR clearly does not meet or satisfied the basic ingredients of the criminal offenses offered against the petent,” said the Court of Justice.

It is important to note that the FIR has not been submitted by a person who is a member of the SC/S community and there is no material to indicate that the petents had a specific intention to insult or intimidate a member of the SC/ST community in a public perspective, the court continued.

No ingredients of crimes

In addition, the HC pointed out that a review of the complaint and the FIR and the transcript of the sketch was sufficient to conclude that the “necessary ingredients that make up the alleged crimes are conspicuously absent, especially if the sketch for mere/mere entertainment purposes was done, and not with a religion or religion, or religion, or religion, or religion damage.

The sketch was listed as part of “Mad Ads”, an event organized during the festival so that the students can represent their acting skills by creating short sketches.

The petents had claimed that the sketch was satirical and was about the reservation system and the classification of the class system prevailing in society. “In other words, the sketch tries to criticize the entire range of the reservation system and brings out the message of equality as morality,” she was stated in the petition.