Couple sent to 14-day judicial custody

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday remanded a married couple to 14 days’ judicial custody till March 11 for allegedly hurling racial slurs at three women from Arunachal Pradesh in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar.

Additional Sessions Judge Samar Vishal passed the order after the accused, Ruby Jain and her husband Harsh Priya Singh, were produced before the court following their arrest by the police earlier in the day.

According to the police, the incident occurred on February 20 during a dispute over repair work at the women’s rented accommodation.

Jain allegedly made abusive and derogatory remarks targeting the women’s ethnicity. The case was registered at Malviya Nagar Police Station after video recordings and witness statements indicated that racially charged comments were made during the altercation.

The FIR was initially lodged under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of criminal intimidation, insulting the modesty of women, and promoting enmity between groups. Subsequently, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was invoked against Jain. Police said the investigation has now been handed over to an ACP-rank officer and is being supervised by senior officials.

Appearing for the accused, advocate Gaurav contended that the provisions of the SC/ST Act were not applicable as the alleged incident took place inside a residential building and did not fall within “public view” under Section 3 of the Act. He argued that the remarks were made in the heat of the moment and that the couple had apologised.

Reacting to the incident, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said she strongly condemned the episode and stood firmly with the women, asserting that the dignity and safety of every citizen in the Capital were paramount.

Union minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu also said that atrocities against people from the Northeast would not be tolerated and strict action would follow.