New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ruled that using casteist remarks over phone in a public place against the SC and ST category would amount to criminal offence warranting a jail of a maximum five years.

The Apex Court refused to stay the criminal proceedings and quash an FIR lodged against a person, who allegedly used expletive and derogatory casteist remarks over phone to a woman belonging to the SC/ST category.

A Bench of Justices J. Chelameswar and S. Abdul Nazeer declined to interfere with the Aug.17 order of the Allahabad High Court which had rejected a plea of a Uttar Pradesh native, seeking quashing of the FIR lodged against him by the woman.

It dismissed his plea saying he has to prove during the trial that he had not talked to the woman over phone from a public place.

The Allahabad High Court had on Aug.17 dismissed his plea for quashing of FIR and stay of criminal proceedings against him saying it was not advisable to adjudge whether the case shall ultimately end in conviction or not.