Supreme Court Clears Way to Drop Charges Against NEET Protesters

The Supreme Court of India clarified on August 3 that state governments may close or withdraw first-information reports (FIRs) registered against students who participated in nationwide protests over NEET examination paper leaks. The court specified that the term "criminal antecedents," used in a previous order to exempt certain individuals from relief, applies only to those accused of grave and heinous offenses such as murder and rape. This ensures that students with minor records, such as traffic violations, are not harassed.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta affirmed the government's commitment to withdraw cases, though he noted that FIRs against approximately 2,700 individuals with serious criminal backgrounds will remain. Following this judicial clarification, the Tamil Nadu government announced on August 2 that it would withdraw all criminal cases against students involved in anti-NEET protests, acting on a direct order from Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.

The legal proceedings follow a wave of unrest sparked by a July 20 march in Delhi led by the Cockroach Janta Party. The protests concluded after the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and government agreements to provide compensation to suicide victims' families.

Chief Justice Surya Kant and a judicial bench are now considering the appointment of a Special Investigation Team, potentially led by a former judge, to probe allegations of police brutality, including the use of pellet guns and electric batons. The court intends to establish a protocol for the use of pellet guns, with the next hearing scheduled for August 18.