New Delhi, August 31: The Centre has approached the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of FIRs registered against protesters in connection with alleged incidents of violence during demonstrations over the NEET paper leak in Delhi and other parts of the country.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta mentioned the plea before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and said the Centre was seeking the exercise of the Supreme Court's extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to quash the FIRs against the protesters.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter on Tuesday, September 1.
The development comes after the apex court, while hearing a batch of petitions alleging excessive police action against students who participated in protests at Jantar Mantar and other locations across the country over the alleged NEET examination paper leak, had indicated that it was inclined to quash FIRs registered against student protesters.
The court had also asked states to identify FIRs filed against students and protesters in cases where there were no other serious criminal allegations. It had indicated that it could consider invoking its powers under Article 142 to bring such proceedings to an end.
However, the court said cases involving individuals with serious criminal antecedents could be considered separately.
The July 20 Parliament march, organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) following weeks of protests and a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, saw thousands of students attempt to march towards Parliament. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged examination paper leaks, besides seeking broader reforms in the examination system.
As the protesters attempted to cross several police barricades in central Delhi while proceeding towards Parliament, security personnel used tear gas and resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.
According to police, some protesters allegedly vandalised police vehicles and pelted stones at a police team near Regal Cinema in the Outer Circle of Connaught Place.
The Delhi Police subsequently registered an FIR against unidentified persons in connection with the alleged vandalism and stone-pelting in the Connaught Place and Parliament Street areas, police sources said.
FIRs were registered at the Parliament Street and Connaught Place police stations under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections related to rioting.
The cases relate to allegations of violence, vandalism, damage to public property, obstruction of government employees in the discharge of their duties and the alleged snatching of police equipment, including jackets and helmets, during the protests at Jantar Mantar.
