Delhi Closes Cases Against NEET Protesters
The Delhi government has announced that no further adverse legal action will be taken against people booked for participating in recent protests over alleged NEET-UG irregularities. The relief will not cover individuals with prior criminal records.
Delhi Closes NEET Protest Cases
The Delhi Home Department said cases against protesters without criminal antecedents would be treated as closed, with no future proceedings pursued against them solely for participating in the demonstrations.
Delhi Police had registered 13 cases in connection with the protests by the evening of July 29. Existing arrests and detentions will now be reviewed, while the release of eligible protesters will be initiated through an expedited process.
Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said the government had honoured its commitment to the students. However, he clarified that people with criminal backgrounds accused of exploiting the agitation to commit violence would continue to face legal action.
Relief Excludes Criminal Offenders
The decision does not provide blanket immunity to everyone booked during the protests. Authorities will examine individual records before deciding whether proceedings should be closed.
The announcement follows a Supreme Court direction that no coercive action should be taken against protesters without previous criminal records. The court had also directed authorities to release detained minors and preserve relevant surveillance material.
Cases Follow July 20 Delhi Clashes
The cases were registered after a July 20 protest march from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament descended into clashes between demonstrators and police.
Authorities said some protesters attempted to breach barricades at multiple locations. Police later used CCTV footage and other surveillance material to identify people allegedly involved in violence and property damage.
The demonstrations were organised over alleged irregularities in NEET-UG and broader concerns surrounding India’s public examination system.
The Delhi government’s order means peaceful participants without criminal histories will not face further proceedings, while cases involving alleged violence or offenders with prior records may continue under the law.
