Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday directed the Home Department to issue orders withdrawing cases registered against youths during student protests held in support of the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) demand for former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
The state government said the cases would be withdrawn after obtaining the necessary permission from the respective courts.
The announcement comes a day after the Bihar government said it would withdraw all cases registered before the evening of July 26 and release those arrested in a statewide crackdown on demonstrators who participated in the CJP-backed agitation.
“No adverse legal action - punitive/retaliatory - shall be taken by the Government against any individual participating in the protests before 6 PM on July 26, across the entire state,” an announcement by the state home department said.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das welcomed the move, calling it a “big relief."
“A big relief to students and protesters in Bihar, hours after our latest Press Conference declaring possible Delhi protests if guarantees not honoured,” he posted on X.
SC orders release of protesters
{{/usCountry}}“A big relief to students and protesters in Bihar, hours after our latest Press Conference declaring possible Delhi protests if guarantees not honoured,” he posted on X.
SC orders release of protesters
{{/usCountry}}Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court directed the release of student protesters who are under 18 and have no criminal records, and asked authorities to preserve electronic and digital evidence relating to the recent nationwide stir over the NEET paper leak.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that allegations of police excesses against students prima facie warrant a fair and independent investigation. Hearing a batch of petitions alleging police brutality during the demonstrations, the apex court issued a slew of interim directions.
The bench, also including Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, directed all states where protests were held to preserve CCTV footage, drone recordings, body-camera footage, wireless communication records, PCR logs and other digital evidence pertaining to the protests.
It also ordered that any digital data collected on protesters be preserved but not brought into the public domain.
The bench restrained authorities from taking any coercive action against protesting students, saying that the protection would not extend to persons with criminal antecedents.
The bench permitted the Delhi government to continue investigations into FIRs registered but said no coercive action be taken against eligible protesting students during the pendency of the proceedings.
The bench also sought responses from the chief secretaries of Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to the allegations raised in the petitions.
(With inputs from PTI)