delhi-court-grants-bail-to-couple-in-ne-racial-slur-case

A Delhi court on Monday granted regular bail to a married couple accused of allegedly hurling racial slurs at their neighbours from Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar.

Additional Sessions Judge Samar Vishal was hearing the bail plea of the accused, identified as Harsh Priya Singh and Ruby Jain, who were produced before the court after the expiry of their 30-day interim bail granted on March 11.

The court was informed by the defence counsel that the couple had complied with all bail conditions, including vacating their earlier residence in Malviya Nagar and shifting to a new locality. Their updated address and contact details had been shared with the investigating officer, the lawyers said.

The defence also submitted that Ruby Jain has been undergoing continuous treatment for tuberculosis, with supporting medical records placed before the court.

The lawyers argued that the couple had suffered reputational damage due to the case and had already issued a public apology on social media as well as a personal apology to the victims in the presence of their landlord.

Also read: Delhi couple sent to 14-day custody in NE racial abuse case

Opposing the plea, the prosecution argued that a strong message needed to be sent in cases involving racial abuse. It further submitted that one of the victims had been forced to return to Manipur amid ongoing ethnic violence in the state.

The prosecution also said the victims, who were students, faced financial and emotional distress and had to relocate at short notice due to media attention and harassment.

“If they're a married couple with social prestige and a reputation to maintain, they should conduct themselves accordingly, not humiliate their neighbours with racial remarks,” the prosecution told the court.

A detailed order in the matter is still awaited.

According to police, the couple was arrested on February 25 following allegations that they used racial slurs against three women from the Northeast. The dispute reportedly began after debris from an air-conditioner installation fell into the couple’s premises.

The FIR in the case invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act along with sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to criminal intimidation, insult to modesty of women, and promoting enmity between groups.