Supreme Court quashes all FIRs across the country against NEET paper leak protesters
Here's the latest protest news from across India:
The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed first information reports (FIR) registered across the country in connection with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led protests in July, invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, even as the group withdrew its call for a September 5 march in Delhi following assurances from the Centre that it would honour its commitments to withdraw criminal cases and compensation to families of students who died by suicide.
Adding to this, People protested at Jantar Mantar over the NEET protest. (ANI File Photo) A bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana shared the decision would ensure that the criminal cases did not cause “any harm to students or youths who participated in these protests” and that mere participation in a protest would not be treated as an offence under penal laws.
Meanwhile, The court ordered that all FIRs relating to the protests between July 20 and 25 in the states and Union territories, including those not formally brought before it, would not be pursued or investigated and would be treated as closed for all purposes. It also directed that similar FIRs pending in other states and Union territories be treated in the same manner. “No further FIR shall be registered in relation to the same incident,” the court directed.
Notably, The order followed applications filed by the Centre through Delhi Police and by Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar and West Bengal governments seeking quashing of the criminal cases.
As per the latest buzz, Solicitor general Tushar Mehta shared the government was committed to all three assurances, but sought liberty to proceed against persons with “serious and grave criminal antecedents”.
In further updates, The court agreed to carve out an exception for 2,837 persons whom Delhi Police shared had such antecedents and were prima facie present at the protest site. The police had sought permission to register one FIR against them to ascertain their individual roles, if any, in incidents involving bodily harm or destruction of public property. The bench shared the issue concerning the 2,837 persons could be considered separately, making clear that the exception did not dilute the larger relief granted to the protesters.
On top of that, “There was a case of sieving out a section of protesters who had assembled with certain bona fide democratic demands and certain alleged elements with serious criminal antecedents,” remarked the court, noting the Centre’s contention that there had been an “infiltration” of elements who may have had ulterior motives.
The bench shared the would be entitled to reserve its right to prosecute such allegedly “pernicious elements”, subject to all rights available to them under law. “At the same time, this exercise is to provide a healing balm to the main body of protesters,” it added.
Source: Hindustan Times