Gandhinagar, August 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Gujarat government has directed the state police to withdraw all criminal cases registered against students, youth and other individuals who participated in protests over the alleged NEET-UG examination paper leak, in line with directions linked to recent Supreme Court orders concerning student demonstrators.
In a letter dated July 31 addressed to Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Singh Malik, the state’s Home Department instructed police authorities not to initiate any adverse legal or penal action against those who took part in the demonstrations across Gujarat.
The department further directed that wherever First Information Reports (FIRs) or criminal cases had already been registered against protest participants, the legal process for their withdrawal should be completed without delay.
The communication referred to the Supreme Court’s interim order of July 28, which directed that no coercive action be taken against student protesters without criminal antecedents and ordered the release of minors detained during the agitation.
On Monday, the apex court clarified that the term “criminal antecedents” applied only to persons involved in grave and heinous offences. It also observed that state governments were free to close or withdraw FIRs against other students in accordance with the law.
The Home Department’s letter, however, did not specify the number of FIRs or criminal cases that would be withdrawn under the decision.
In Gujarat, protests were held in Ahmedabad and several other cities in support of the nationwide agitation centred at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. Demonstrators demanded accountability in the examination controversy and later backed calls seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The nationwide protest movement began at Jantar Mantar on June 20 and concluded on July 25 after Pradhan resigned and the Centre accepted several key demands of the protest organisers, including commitments to examination reforms.
Gujarat’s decision follows similar steps announced by Assam, which has decided to withdraw all cases related to the protests, release those arrested and refrain from taking further legal action against peaceful demonstrators. Bihar has also initiated the process of withdrawing cases linked to the agitation after discussions between government representatives and protest leaders.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has directed authorities to preserve CCTV footage, drone recordings, body-camera videos and other electronic evidence relating to the protests as it continues hearing broader allegations of police excesses and violence during the demonstrations.
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