Supreme Court to Hear Pleas on Alleged Police Brutality During NEET Protests, May Consider SIT Probe
The Supreme Court is set to resume hearing a batch of petitions on Monday alleging excessive use of force by police during nationwide protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and other examination irregularities. The hearing is expected to focus on demands for accountability, preservation of evidence, and the possibility of an independent investigation into the incidents of violence involving both protesters and police personnel.
During the previous hearing, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, indicated that the allegations warranted serious judicial scrutiny. The Court observed that it may consider constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a fair, transparent and impartial probe into claims of police excesses as well as allegations of violence against law enforcement officials.
The petitions have been filed by students, civil society groups and advocates who allege that police resorted to lathi charges, pellet guns and other coercive measures during demonstrations held in Delhi and several other states. Petitioners argue that the use of force violated the constitutional right to peaceful protest and seek action against officials responsible for any unlawful conduct. Police authorities, however, maintain that force was used only after protesters allegedly breached security arrangements and attacked personnel on duty.
In its earlier interim order, the apex court directed authorities across the concerned states to preserve CCTV footage, drone recordings, body-camera videos, wireless communication logs and other electronic evidence relating to the protests. It also ordered that digital data collected from protesters should be preserved but not disclosed publicly during the pendency of the proceedings. Additionally, the Court directed the release of detained student protesters below 18 years of age who have no criminal antecedents and restrained coercive action against eligible protesters while investigations continue.
The Bench has repeatedly underscored that the right to peaceful protest is constitutionally protected and observed that public demonstrations cannot, by themselves, justify police excesses. At the same time, it has clarified that any individual—whether a protester or a police officer—who violated the law must be held accountable through a fair and independent process.
Monday’s hearing is expected to be significant, as the Supreme Court may decide whether to formally order an SIT investigation, expand interim safeguards for protesters, or issue further directions aimed at ensuring accountability and establishing uniform standards for policing public demonstrations. The outcome could have far-reaching implications for both the ongoing NEET protest cases and the broader legal framework governing crowd-control measures across India.
