ADM not to be booked under SC/ST Act

NOIDA: Police said on Friday they will not bring charges under the SC/ST Act against an additional district magistrate, who has been suspended and is under probe for allegedly assaulting a Noida-based Army veteran.
The Army veteran’s cook has accused the ADM, his wife and son of using casteist slurs. The skirmish dates back to August 14 when the Army veteran was arrested on a complaint from the ADM’s wife that he had molested her and used casteist slurs. The ex-colonel’s cook and two youths training with him were also taken into custody under charges of kidnapping and assault and booked under the SC/ST Act as well.

They got bail later, after ex-servicemen accused the ADM of framing the Army veteran with a false complaint because of an ongoing dispute between the two, who are neighbours at a housing society, over illegal construction.

Noida police later realised they had also erred in booking the Army veteran’s cook, a Dalit, under the SC/ST Act. They won’t make the same mistake again. The crime branch said it sought legal opinion and was told an FIR cannot be lodged against someone of SC/ST community under the SC/ST Act.

The ADM told TOI that he will come to Noida as soon as he receives the stay order on his arrest from the Allahabad high court. The inquiry committee formed to look into the dispute has, meanwhile, submitted its report to the state government.