NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Thursday started preparing to proceed with its legal action against all those who had criminal antecedents before joining the students' protest at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital earlier this month, an official said.
Other genuine student protesters will not face any legal action and those arrested or detained would be released expeditiously, the Home Department official said.
A circular issued by Delhi government's Principal Secretary (Home) Santosh D. Vaidya said that 13 cases had been registered in connection with the protests organised over the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination.
Offering a big relief to genuine students, Vaidya said, "No adverse legal action will be taken by any of the police authorities within National Capital Territory of Delhi against those persons who have been involved in these protests."
He added, "The protection, however, shall not extend to persons having criminal antecedents, as mandated in the order of the Supreme Court."
The decision to drop cases against genuine student protesters -- who have no criminal background -- was taken with the consent of Lieutenant Governor T.S. Sandhu, who is the highest authority on the city's law and order and Delhi Police.
The decision with regard to FIRs registered by Delhi Police, the Government of NCT of Delhi, was taken after careful consideration of all aspects to the circumstances pursuant to the Supreme Court's order dated July 28 in Shailendra Mani Tripathi versus Union of India, the official statement said.
"The Government of NCT of Delhi does not propose to take any further adverse action against the individuals involved in the protests, and the matter shall be treated as closed without any future proceedings on this account," the statement said.
The protests, which also saw the use of force by police to prevent lawlessness in the high security zone on July 20, was withdrawn after 36 days on Saturday.
The alleged police excesses during the protest on July 20 also sparked an uproar in Parliament when the Opposition targeted the Union government during the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.
--IANS
