The Supreme Court has directed that cases registered against students who took part in nationwide protests over the NEET issue be quashed, citing the need to safeguard their future.
The protests were linked to allegations of a question paper leak in the NEET entrance exam for undergraduate medical courses. Demonstrations were held in several states, and a prolonged protest took place at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi demanding the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
As the agitation intensified, Pradhan resigned, and in some places the protests turned violent. Police subsequently filed cases against participating students, prompting the matter to reach the apex court.
Hearing the case, a bench led by Chief Justice Suryakant, along with Justices Jaimalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, ordered that all cases registered anywhere in India in connection with student protests held between July 20 and July 25 be quashed, even though petitions had been filed by only four states—Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Maharashtra.
However, the court allowed Delhi Police to register a single FIR against 2,873 individuals linked to the Jantar Mantar protests, citing their serious criminal background.
