A Delhi court on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of YouTuber and reservation reform activist Ajeet Bharti in a case registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The case was registered at Delhi’s North Avenue police station in August following a complaint linked to remarks allegedly made by Bharti during a YouTube broadcast.
During the hearing, Bharti’s lawyer argued that he had not made any casteist remarks and had responded to provocation involving a family member. Delhi Police, meanwhile, argued that the anticipatory bail plea was not maintainable and stated that the registration of an FIR did not automatically mean Bharti would be arrested.
Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh dismissed the plea. A detailed court order is awaited.
The controversy stems from an August 22 YouTube livestream in which Bharti was accused of making objectionable and caste-related remarks while responding to comments about Nagina MP Chandrasekhar Azad.
Bharti has denied the allegations, previously describing the FIR as pressure-driven and maintaining that the case would not stand legal scrutiny.