The court issued a stern warning to the state government, stating that laws like the SC/ST Act have failed to deliver the desired results. The court noted that incidents registered under this law are increasing day by day. The court directed the government to change the curriculum at the school level to change the mindset of the younger generation.
Madurai – The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, while hearing the highly publicized case of the ‘honor killing’ of a Dalit IT engineer, strongly criticized the casteism prevalent in society by granting bail to a police sub-inspector. The High Court said that the recent Tamil Nadu assembly elections have proven that people can vote beyond caste and community barriers, and now it is time for the state to take responsibility for bringing about ‘true change’.
A bench headed by Justice B. Pugalendhi made this observation while hearing the bail plea of Saravanan, a police sub-inspector. Saravanan is accused of harboring his son, who had brutally murdered a Dalit youth because he was in love with his sister, Saravanan’s daughter.
What is the entire case?
Kavin (the deceased) was an IT engineer and belonged to the Dalit community. The accused, Saravanan, is a sub-inspector in the Tamil Nadu Police, and his daughter attended the same school as Kavin. They were in a love relationship, which the girl’s family did not approve of. On July 27, 2025, Kavin came to Tirunelveli for his grandfather’s treatment. He informed Saravanan’s son, Surijit (accused No. 1), of his arrival.
Surijit put Kavin on his bike and took him to Lakshmipuram. At around 2:17 p.m., a quarrel broke out between the two. It is alleged that Surijith poured chili powder into Kavin’s eyes and then attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon (Aruval).
Kavin tried to escape but was chased and killed near Ambala Hospital. A total of 19 wounds were found on the deceased’s body. Just one minute after the murder, Surijith called his father, Saravanan, to inform him of the incident.
Police say Saravanan informed his wife (Accused No. 3) about the incident and contacted relatives (Accused No. 4) to help his son hide.
Saravanan himself visited the scene and falsely informed the head constable present there that the deceased belonged to a different community. It is alleged that he purchased a bike with a fake license plate for his son and conspired to destroy evidence. Saravanan and his son were arrested on August 11, 2025, and have been in judicial custody since then.
Why the Court Granted Bail
Saravanan claims he is innocent and was the one who provided information about his son to the police. He also stated that he surrendered his son to the police, which was reported in the newspapers. He argues that he played no active role in the murder and did not destroy any evidence.
The Court decided to grant Saravanan bail for the following reasons:
- Saravanan had been in jail for the past 10 months (since August 11, 2025).
- The investigation had been completed and a charge sheet had been filed. The case is pending as SC.No. 120/2025.
- The Court acknowledged that “there were no calls between Saravanan and the deceased or the victim’s family before the incident.” Therefore, there was insufficient material to prove his active role in the murder. The Court stated, “If this were a simple murder case, he would have been granted bail by now.” The court also stated that it was not appropriate to keep the accused in “pre-sentence detention” for a long period. Saravanan filed a petition (Crl OP(MD) No. 995/2026) in the High Court requesting the quashing of the proceedings against him, which the court granted an interim stay on April 29, 2026.
However, the court granted bail with strict conditions:
Saravanan will be released on a bond of ₹1 lakh and two sureties (one lakh each). He will have to reside in Coimbatore and report to the B2 R.S. Puram police station twice a day (at 10:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.). He will not go near the crime scene (Tirunelveli) or attempt to influence any witnesses. If he violates any of the conditions, his bail will be revoked.
The recent Tamil Nadu Assembly election results have proven that people can vote without regard to caste or community. A government has been formed by ignoring caste factors.
– Madras High Court
5 key observations from the Madras High Court on casteism
This decision was not limited to granting bail. Justice Pugalendhi used it as a platform to comment on the “disease of caste” prevalent in society. Some of his key observations are as follows:
“Even we judges are not immune to casteism.”
The court openly acknowledged that casteism is not limited to ordinary people but also affects the judiciary. The court said:
“Every person, no matter how powerful or privileged, experiences casteism in some form or another. Even we judges are not immune. Our orders are often influenced by caste, even when cases are being decided on merit.”
“There is no honor in honor killing; it is a shameful act.”
The court described honor killing as the “extreme form of casteism,” stating that it is wrong to call it “honor.”
“Honor killing is the extreme manifestation of casteism. Casteism is a curse for the nation. Nature recognizes no caste. The sun gives light to everyone, rain falls on everyone, and air is for everyone. Only when society transcends the artificial barriers of caste will it realize the truth: there is no honor in honor killing; rather, it is a shameful act.” Praising the Tamil Nadu Elections – “Voting Without Caste Is Possible”
In its judgment, the Court commended the Tamil Nadu voters and the recent Assembly election results, making a landmark observation:
“The recent Assembly election results in the state of Tamil Nadu have proven that people can indeed be confident in voting without considering the caste or community of the candidates. A government has been formed by largely ignoring caste factors. The state can claim ‘true change’ only when the mindset of the people also changes.”
The example of soldiers and patriotism
The Court cited the example of soldiers deployed on the border, giving a message of unity to the society:
“Soldiers deployed on the border, irrespective of their caste, community, language, or region, protect the country. When they face enemy bullets and sacrifice their lives in defense of the motherland, their blood and their patriotism are not marked by caste. If protectors can unite, every citizen should draw inspiration from their example.”
Directive to the State Government: Start Change in Schools
The Court issued a stern warning to the State Government, stating that laws like the SC/ST Act have failed to deliver the desired results. The Court noted that incidents registered under this Act are increasing day by day. The Court made the following demands of the government:
- The mindset of the younger generation should be changed by amending the curriculum at the school level.
- The recommendations of the Justice K. Chandru (Retd.) Committee, which was formed to eliminate casteism in schools and ensure social harmony, should be fully implemented.
- Political parties should refrain from cultivating vote banks based on caste, as they are promoting this social evil.
Geetha Sunil Pillai
Courtesy: Hindi News