Supreme Court Quashes FIRs Against CJP Protesters, Makes Exception for Those With Criminal Records

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted major relief to students and others who faced criminal cases following protests held between July 20 and 25, ordering that the FIRs registered in connection with the demonstrations be quashed. The court, however, made an exception for individuals with serious criminal antecedents.

The ruling came after the Centre and several state governments assured the Supreme Court that cases filed against protesters would be withdrawn. The court extended the benefit of its order beyond the states that had approached it, directing that similar FIRs registered across the country in connection with the specified protests would also stand quashed.

The Supreme Court also directed authorities not to register any fresh FIRs relating to the incidents that took place during the July 20-25 protests. The decision was taken after the court considered the future of the students and young people involved in the demonstrations and invoked its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure complete justice.

A significant exception was made for 2,873 individuals identified by the Delhi Police as having serious criminal antecedents. The police had sought permission to continue legal proceedings against this group, citing allegations involving violence, bodily harm and damage to property. The Supreme Court allowed the authorities to proceed against them in accordance with law.

The court’s decision also had an immediate political consequence. The CJP announced that it would withdraw its proposed September 5 protest march in Delhi. The march had been planned in the backdrop of the cases registered against participants of the earlier demonstrations. With the Centre assuring the court that the FIRs would be withdrawn and no new cases would be filed over the same incidents, the organisation decided to call off the proposed demonstration.

The Supreme Court’s intervention has brought temporary legal relief to a large number of student protesters while maintaining that individuals with established criminal records cannot automatically receive the same protection. The order seeks to distinguish between protesters facing cases arising from the demonstrations and those accused of serious criminal conduct.