Optional Grouping: Police procedures in SC/ST cases

If a crime under this special law committed against a member of the scheduled caste or scheduled tribe groups has been reported to the police, the investigation for this must be done by a police officer who is at the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police or above.

As per the law, the DSP must complete his investigation on top priority within thirty days. The report from this investigation must be submitted to the Superintendent of the Police, who will further submit it to the Director-General of Police of that State.(( Rule 7, Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995.))

When an FIR is filed for a crime or atrocity committed against a member of the scheduled castes or scheduled tribes, no preliminary inquiry needs to be conducted by the investigation officer before the said filing.

The investigation officer does not require any prior approval of his seniors for arresting any person accused of committing a crime under this law either.

Moreover, a person who fears arrest for crimes that he may or may not have committed under this law cannot file for anticipatory bail.(( Section 18A, Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.))