On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of India expressed dissatisfaction with the Uttar Pradesh Police's handling of a 2021 case involving Kazeem Ahmad Sherwani, a Muslim man who claimed he was tortured and humiliated due to his identity. The court noted that the police had previously assured that hate speech provisions under section 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) would be included in the investigation. However, the police failed to comply with this assurance, prompting the court to question their commitment to addressing hate crime. The bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta highlighted the importance of including section 153B of the IPC, which addresses acts likely to incite religious enmity. The court indicated that it may summon the investigating officer if compliance is not achieved by the next hearing scheduled for May 19. Sherwani's case has been pending for over five years, and he is seeking compensation for the emotional and physical distress caused by the alleged abuse and the police's inaction. The incident occurred on July 4, 2021, when Sherwani was assaulted by a group while traveling in Noida. The court emphasized the necessity of recognizing hate crimes, particularly in cases involving religious identity.