Mumbai, November 13, 2026: A special court designated under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has convicted a Wadala-based couple for raising derogatory slogans against Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar outside the Mumbai Collector's office in December 2019.
Special Judge Y P Manathkar, however, showed leniency while sentencing them, considering their claim that they were driven to the act out of frustration over their land allegedly being grabbed by a builder and the authorities failing to address their grievances.
The court has sentenced the man, Parvat Reddy, to six months of rigorous imprisonment, while his wife, Asha, has been sentenced to two months of rigorous imprisonment.
Court Relies On Eyewitnesses And Video
According to the prosecution, on December 27, 2019, the couple stood outside the Setu Suvidha Centre near the Collector's office at Fort and raised slogans against Dr Ambedkar. Asha also removed her footwear, held it in her hand and shouted slogans asking Dr Ambedkar to eat slippers.
Mahendra Shinde, who was posted at the office as a coordinator, recorded the incident on his mobile phone and also lodged a complaint with MRA Marg police station. The court relied on the testimonies of four eyewitnesses, including police personnel, and the video recording to establish the incident.
While convicting them, the court observed that the slogans amounted to disrespecting Dr Ambedkar, who is held in high esteem by members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Couple Seeks Leniency In Sentencing
During the hearing on the quantum of sentencing, the couple pleaded for leniency and claimed that a builder had grabbed their land in Wadala in collusion with the Collector's office. They said they had repeatedly approached the authorities seeking intervention but received no help, which prompted them to take the extreme step.
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The court also noted that the accused appeared to be homeless and considered the circumstances while awarding the sentence.
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