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

New Delhi: The Centre has moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of FIRs registered against protesters over alleged violence during protests against the NEET paper leak in Delhi and other states. 

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta mentioned the plea before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and submitted that the Centre was seeking invocation of the Supreme Court's extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to quash the FIRs against the protesters. 

The Supreme Court will hear the matter on Tuesday, September 1.  

The top court, while hearing a batch of pleas alleging excessive police action against students who participated in protests at Jantar Mantar and other places across the country over NEET examination paper leaks, had earlier expressed its intention to quash the FIRs registered against student protesters. 

The apex court also said States should identify FIRs registered against students and protesters where no other serious criminal elements are involved. 

It indicated that it could consider exercising its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to quash such cases, while matters involving persons with serious criminal antecedents could be dealt with separately. 

The July 20 Parliament march, organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) after weeks of protests and a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, drew thousands of students who attempted to march towards Parliament, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination paper leaks and broader reforms to the examination system. 

As the demonstrators attempted to breach several police barricades in central Delhi while marching towards Parliament, security personnel used tear gas shells and carried out a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. 

According to police, some miscreants allegedly vandalised police vehicles and pelted stones at a police team near Regal Cinema in the Outer Circle of Connaught Place. 

The Delhi Police registered an FIR against unidentified persons in connection with the alleged vandalism of vehicles and stone-pelting in Connaught Place and Parliament Street during the protest, police sources said. 

Officials registered FIRs at the Parliament Street and Connaught Place police stations under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including provisions related to rioting, in connection with incidents involving alleged violence, vandalism, damage to public property, obstruction of government employees in the discharge of their duties and the alleged snatching of police gear, including jackets and helmets, during the protest at Jantar Mantar, the sources said.