The Supreme Court has ordered states to close or withdraw FIRs filed against students who took part in the NEET protests. The court also clarified that the 'criminal antecedents' exception for the release of detained student protesters applies only to grave and heinous offences.
The clarification narrows the earlier exception, which authorities had used to continue holding some protesters. The court said this exception does not cover minor offences.
Saurav Das, who has been associated with the students' cause, described the order as a major victory. The ruling is expected to benefit many students who were arrested during the protests over the NEET examination.
The Supreme Court's direction marks a significant step in addressing cases linked to the demonstrations. The court had earlier ordered the release of student protesters, with an exception for those with criminal records. Now that exception has been restricted to serious crimes.
The order affects protest-related cases in multiple states. It comes after widespread demonstrations by students over NEET-related issues, during which many were arrested and faced criminal cases.