Gandhinagar, Aug 3 (IANS) The Gujarat government has directed the state police to withdraw all criminal cases registered against students, young people and others who took part in recent protests over the alleged NEET-UG examination paper leak, following directions linked to a Supreme Court order on the treatment of student protesters.
In a letter dated July 31 to Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Singh Malik, the state Home Department instructed police not to take any adverse legal or penal action against students, youth or any other individuals who participated in the demonstrations in Gujarat.
The department also directed that if any first information reports (FIRs) or criminal cases had already been registered against participants, the legal process for withdrawing them should be completed immediately.
The communication cited the Supreme Court’s July 28 interim order directing that no coercive action be taken against student protesters without criminal antecedents and that minors detained during the protests be released.
On Monday, the court further clarified that the expression “criminal antecedents” referred only to those involved in grave and heinous offences, adding that state governments were free to close or withdraw FIRs against the remaining students in accordance with the law.
The Home Department’s letter did not specify how many FIRs or criminal cases would be withdrawn under the decision.
In Gujarat, demonstrations were organised in Ahmedabad, and several other cities in support of the nationwide agitation centred at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination.
Protesters demanded accountability over the examination controversy and backed calls that eventually included the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The nationwide movement began at Jantar Mantar on June 20 and concluded on July 25 after Pradhan resigned and the government accepted other key demands put forward by the protest organisers, including commitments on examination reforms.
Gujarat’s decision follows similar announcements by other states. Assam announced that it would withdraw all cases linked to the protests, release those arrested and refrain from further adverse legal action against peaceful demonstrators.
Bihar also initiated the process of dropping cases related to the agitation after discussions between government representatives and protest leaders.
The Supreme Court has also directed the preservation of CCTV footage, drone recordings, body-camera videos and other electronic evidence relating to the protests while broader proceedings concerning allegations of police excesses and violence during the demonstrations continue before the court.
–IANS
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