- The arrests and detentions will be reviewed and the release process started, the Delhi government said
- Thirteen cases were registered by Delhi Police related to the NEET protests
- The Supreme Court had ordered the release of protesters without prior criminal records
No legal action will be taken against those arrested in connection with the recently held protests against the NEET question paper leak, the Delhi government said today - an assurance in line with the Centre's promise to the Cockroach Janta Party which was spearheading the protests. This, however, will not apply to people already having "criminal antecedents", in line with the Supreme Court's July 28 order, the government said.
A notice from the government this evening said the Delhi Police have registered 13 cases in connection with the protests by the evening of July 29.
Read: Release Detained CJP Protesters Without Criminal Past: Top Court To States
Now, all the arrests and detentions will be reviewed and there will be no further action against the protesters. The matter will be treated as closed and the release process will be carried out, the notice said.
"We stand with the students, and it is in that spirit that we issued this order," said Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood. "Our government has honoured its commitment to them. However, if any anti-social elements with criminal antecedents used the student protest as an opportunity to spread violence, action will be taken against them," he added.
The arrests were made after the protests escalated on July 20.
The protesters had clashed with the police during the CJP's 'Chalo Sansad' march from Jantar Mantar. Subsequently, the police had made arrests and filed cases with the help of CCTV footage from the day.
As outrage spread over the alleged use of excessive force -- including pellet guns -- on protesters, the government accepted the CJP's demands. While Dharmendra Pradhan stepping down as the education minister was the main demand, another key ask was the withdrawal of legal action against the protesters.
Read: Supreme Court To Examine Protocol On Use Of Pellet Guns For Crowd Control
Two days after calling off the protests, the CJP said there was no move to drop the police cases and warned that unless the government followed up on its assurances, they will hit the streets again.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered states not to take coercive action against protesters and release those with no prior criminal record.
A bill to amend the anti-paper leaks law, with provisions for stricter punishment of up to 10 years in jail and Rs 10 crore fine has also been passsed in the Lok Sabha.
