Any offensive post on social media targeting an individual of the SC/ST community, even if made in a closed group, is punishable, the Delhi high court said Monday.
In an important ruling that plugs the gap between online abusers and their prosecution, the HC made it clear that Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, will apply if a casteist slur is made against a person from these communities.

Though the judgment came in reference to a Facebook "Wall", the ruling can extend to other social media outlets such as WhatsApp which have closed privacy settings.