The Supreme Court invoked its extraordinary constitutional powers under Article 142 to quash all First Information Reports (FIRs) registered across the country in connection with the July agitation over the NEET paper leak. The order was delivered by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana. The court ruled that mere participation in a peaceful demonstration should not be treated as a penal offense, ensuring that young citizens and students involved in the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led protests face no legal harm or harassment.
The decision applies broadly to all FIRs filed between July 20 and July 25, 2026, covering both cases brought before the court and those pending in other states and Union territories. The bench directed that these cases be treated as closed for all practical purposes and barred authorities from registering fresh FIRs regarding the same events. The ruling followed applications submitted by the Centre via Delhi Police, as well as state governments including Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar, and West Bengal.
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The court carved out a narrow exception allowing Delhi Police to separately investigate 2,837 individuals identified as having serious criminal antecedents who were present at the protest site. The bench noted that law enforcement retains the right to address potentially bad-faith actors involved in bodily harm or property destruction without diluting the broad protection granted to genuine student protesters.
In response to the judicial intervention and commitments from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, CJP co-convener Saurav Das officially announced the withdrawal of the group’s planned September 5 march from India Gate to Delhi Police headquarters. Additionally, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to formulate and notify a pan-India policy framework within three months to provide compensation to the families of students who died by suicide in connection with the 2026 NEET examination.
