The Supreme Court has ruled that using casteist remarks over phone in a public place against those belonging to the SC/ST category amounts to criminal offence warranting a jail of a maximum five years. <br/><br/>The court refused to stay the criminal proceedings and quash an FIR lodged against a person who allegedly used derogatory remarks over phone to a woman belonging to the SC/ST category. <br/><br/>The court declined to interfere with the August 17th 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. The apex court dismissed the plea saying he has to prove during the trial that he had not talked to the woman over phone from a public place.