Supreme Court sets up 5-member panel to probe police action during NEET protests

The committee will investigate the alleged use of force against peaceful protesters at Delhi's Jantar Mantar and in other states.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy to head the panel.

The other members are former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla and retired Meghalaya DGP L R Bishnoi.

The bench said the panel had been constituted after considering the individual expertise and experience of its members, along with the diversity of the committee.

“We are confident that the recommendations of the HPEC will be of invaluable assistance to this Court, and the Committee will be able to undertake a comprehensive assessment of all such issues as merit due contemplation,” the bench said.

The Supreme Court clarified that the committee's inquiry would not be a one-time exercise.

It directed the HPEC to conduct continuous and periodic assessments of the issues and submit interim findings to the court at regular intervals.

The panel will examine allegations concerning excessive force by police and other security agencies, including the use of pellet guns, electric batons, lathi-charges and tear gas.

The committee will also consider whether metallic pellets fired from pump-action rifles or other weapons should be prohibited, particularly given allegations of severe and permanent injuries caused by their use.

The court directed the committee to prioritise allegations of harassment and molestation, particularly those involving female protesters.

It also ordered an inquiry into serious and severe injuries allegedly suffered by protesters during police action.

The committee will examine whether the authorities maintained an appropriate balance between managing law and order during protests and protecting citizens' constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest.

The panel will also consider whether police and security personnel involved in arrests or crowd-control operations should be required to wear uniforms and clearly visible nameplates to ensure their identification and accountability.

CCTV, drone, body-camera footage to be preserved

The Supreme Court has ordered authorities to preserve CCTV footage, drone recordings, body-camera footage and PCR call records connected with the protests.

The measure is intended to preserve potentially important evidence and allow investigators to establish the sequence of events independently.

The court also reiterated its earlier direction concerning detained minors, ordering their release except where they face charges involving serious and heinous crimes.

Privacy concerns over surveillance

The apex court also stressed the need to protect the personal information of protesters.

It restrained police authorities from making protesters' private information public and directed that such data be safeguarded.

The committee will separately examine allegations that police monitored or surveilled protesters and assess whether such actions were consistent with constitutional protections relating to privacy and peaceful assembly.

Departmental action need not await panel findings

The court clarified that departmental action against police personnel would not have to wait for the HPEC to complete its inquiry.

Competent authorities can independently initiate departmental proceedings against officers where warranted, irrespective of the committee's findings.

The panel's mandate will cover the broader allegations surrounding the conduct of police and other security agencies during the NEET-related demonstrations.

Parliament march preceded clashes and detentions

Thousands of protesters, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), had called for a march to Parliament on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session.

The protesters were demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak.

Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the demonstrators, leading to clashes and multiple detentions.

The issue subsequently became a major point of contention during Parliament's Monsoon Session, with opposition lawmakers repeatedly seeking accountability over the police action against the student-led demonstrations.