Supreme Court to Hear Plea on Police Brutality Against NEET Protesters

Supreme Court Takes Up Case on Police Force Against Students

New Delhi: Manoj Kumar Jha, a Rajya Sabha MP, has filed a petition with the Supreme Court requesting the registration of FIRs regarding the alleged excessive use of police force against students protesting the NEET paper leaks.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana has agreed to hear the case on Tuesday after advocate Fauzia Shakil requested an urgent listing.

Shakil stated, "We have submitted a writ petition containing detailed information, including incidents of police firing in Bihar," noting that police reportedly used AK-47 rifles against the demonstrators.

The bench indicated that all petitions concerning the alleged excessive police force against students protesting nationwide over examination paper leaks would be addressed on Tuesday.

In Siwan district, Bihar, three protesters sustained injuries when police opened fire during a 'Bihar bandh' organized by the All India Students' Association (AISA) in response to the NEET paper leak, which escalated into violence in various regions of the state.

Jha's petition calls for directives to states and Union Territories (UTs) to file FIRs regarding claims of police brutality and disproportionate actions against peaceful protesters from July 20 to July 25, particularly on July 20 at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

He has also requested that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) be formed in the respective states and UTs, led by the director general of police (DGP) and two senior women IPS officers at least at the rank of inspector general of police (IGP).

Jha proposed that a retired high court judge supervise the investigation, which should be completed within three months.

This petition follows protests by students and organizations led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, where they demanded reforms in the education system and the resignation of then-education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The CJP ended their protest on July 25 after Pradhan resigned and the government agreed to other demands from the newly formed group.