NEET Paper Leak: Centre Moves Supreme Court to Quash FIRs Against Protesters - Video

The Centre has approached the Supreme Court seeking to quash FIRs registered against student protesters involved in the NEET paper leak protests, invoking the court’s special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the CJI Surya Kant-led bench that the government had moved an application seeking withdrawal of the cases. The development comes ahead of a September 5 protest march announced in Delhi over the Centre’s commitment to withdraw FIRs against protesters. The Supreme Court had earlier allowed states to consider withdrawing such cases, while clarifying that FIRs involving people accused of grave offences would not be withdrawn.

The court had also directed that no coercive action be taken against protesters and ordered the release of detained minors, except those with criminal backgrounds. Earlier, it constituted a five- member High-Powered Enquiry Committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice R. Subhash Reddy to independently investigate alleged violence during the NEET protests. The committee has been asked to conduct periodic assessments and submit interim findings to the court for further directions, according to a Law Beat report.