6 days ago
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Bapatla District Collector V. Vinod Kumar connected Tuesday conducted the last proceeding successful a lawsuit concerning the Scheduled Caste (SC) presumption of pastor Chinthada Anand, pursuing directions from the Supreme Court to take appropriate action on the matter.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Vinod Kumar said the proceeding was conducted peacefully astatine his bureau successful the territory and Mr. Anand submitted a practice consisting of nearly 20 pages. The Collector stated that a last determination connected Mr. Anand’s caste presumption would beryllium announced wrong a mates of days.
According to the Collector, Mr. Anand was calved successful P.V. Palem mandal of Bapatla territory into the Madiga community, a Scheduled Caste assemblage successful Andhra Pradesh, but aboriginal converted to Christianity and had been conducting Sunday supplication meetings arsenic a pastor.
A dispute reportedly arose after Akkala Rami Reddy objected to the supplication meetings conducted adjacent their residence, alleging dependable pollution. Subsequently, Mr. Anand filed an SC/ST Atrocities lawsuit against Mr. Rami Reddy, who approached the High Court contending that the lawsuit was invalid arsenic Mr. Anand had converted to Christianity. The Andhra Pradesh High Court quashed the lawsuit against Mr. Rami Reddy, observing that the caste strategy was alien to Christianity and that IPC allegations lacked corroboration.
On March 24, 2026, the Supreme Court upheld the High Court bid and directed the Bapatla District Collector to take appropriate action. A associated committee aboriginal conducted 2 hearings and submitted a study connected May 2 recommending cancellation of Mr. Anand’s Scheduled Caste certificate. Tuesday marked the last time of hearing, during which the pastor submitted his version.
