Odisha HC quashes ‘casteist remark’ case against Damodar Rout

CUTTACK: In a major relief to former minister and Paradip MLA Damodar Rout just before General Elections, the Orissa High Court on Wednesday quashed a case registered against him for his alleged ‘casteist remark’ during a public meeting at Kujang in Jagatsinghpur district in 2010. Rout was accused of making the objectionable remark at the public meeting held on August 18, 2010 where he had referred to politicians Bibhu Prasad Tarai and Bishnu Das and a Government official Upendra Mallick as ‘Harijans’.

Acting on an FIR filed by Manoj Bhoi and Rabi Dalei, Kujang police had registered a case against Rout under provisions of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Rout, who had availed bail from a lower court in the case in April 2011, moved the Orissa High Court challenging the FIR filed against him and seeking rejection of the case.

During hearing, Rout’s counsel had argued that a false case was filed against him as he had never uttered the objectionable word which is a punishable offence under Section 3 of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Hearing both the parties in the case, a single bench of the High Court comprising Justice A K Mishra quashed the entire proceedings of the criminal case, including the FIR that was filed against Rout.