In a significant ruling, the Allahabad High Court determined that addressing an individual by their caste, without any intent to insult, does not constitute an offense under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. This decision was made during a criminal appeal filed by Amay Pandey and three others, who challenged the ongoing proceedings against them under the SC/ST Act. The court noted that the initial First Information Report (FIR) filed in 2019 did not mention any caste-based abuse, and subsequent statements made by the complainant were inconsistent and lacked credibility. The court observed that the medical evidence showed only minor injuries, suggesting that the alleged incident had been exaggerated. Ultimately, the court concluded that the prosecution failed to establish that the alleged acts were motivated by the complainant's caste, and therefore, the proceedings under the SC/ST Act were deemed an abuse of the law. However, the court allowed for the continuation of proceedings under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).