New Delhi: The Delhi government has decided not to initiate adverse legal action against people who participated in protests over alleged examination irregularities in the national capital, except those with criminal antecedents or those accused of engaging in violence or other unlawful activities during the protests.
The decision was announced by Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood on Thursday and follows an order issued by the Home Department of the Government of NCT of Delhi. The order states that no adverse legal action will be taken by police authorities against persons who participated in the protests. However, it clarifies that the decision will not apply to individuals with criminal antecedents, in line with the directions of the Supreme Court of India.
According to the order, cases of persons arrested or detained in connection with the protests will be reviewed, and the process for their release will be undertaken expeditiously wherever applicable. It further states that no additional adverse legal action will be initiated against those covered under the order and that the matter shall be treated as closed.
Addressing the media, Ashish Sood said individuals with criminal backgrounds or those who attempted to take the law into their own hands by engaging in violence during the protests would continue to face legal action in accordance with the law.
The decision comes five days after the month-long agitation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar was called off following talks between the Centre and a CJP delegation. On July 25, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh accepted the party’s key demands, including the withdrawal of FIRs and an assurance that no further action would be taken against protesters in Delhi and BJP-ruled or NDA-allied states.
The announcement also follows the Supreme Court’s July 28 order in the case of Shailendra Mani Tripathi v. Union of India & Others.
According to the Home Department order, approved by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, Delhi Police had registered 13 cases related to the protests as of 6 pm on July 29.
