The Supreme Court, on the urging of the Union government, took a rare and extraordinary step on Tuesday (September 1, 2026) to quash criminal cases registered against Gen Z protesters involved in nationwide protests linked to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) following the NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak.
A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant exercised its absolute powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to do “complete justice” and ensure that the “FIRs will not be investigated, and will be closed for all intents and purposes”.
Police, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Faced with the spectre of a CJP march on September 5 just days ahead of a high-profile BRICS summit in the capital, the Delhi Police told the court on August 31 that it did not wish to pursue the FIRs.
SC to examine ‘proportionality’ of the use of facial recognition at NEET protests Fresh and specific FIR permitted The court clarified its order was not confined to Delhi, but extended to all States and Union Territories where protests took place.
The court said the Centre would be at liberty to ensure that States and Union Territories did not register any fresh FIRs with respect to the CJP-led protests held between July 20 and July 25.
Kerala, represented by advocate Aljo Joseph, appreciated the court’s decision, saying that police did not respond with violence to the student protests held in the State.
The Bench, however, allowed the Delhi Police to file a “fresh and specific” FIR against 2,873 individuals with criminal antecedents, who were spotted by facial recognition technology at the Jantar Mantar protest site in central Delhi.
The court said the FIRs should not prejudice their rights, and they should be given every opportunity to defend themselves.
It further directed the Centre to frame a pan-India policy for compensating the families of students who took their own lives following the NEET-UG 2026 paper leaks, and then make the payments within three months.
FIRs against CJP-led student protesters to be withdrawn; Centre has consulted BJP-ruled States: Nadda ‘Mindful of protesters’ future prospects’ The hour-long hearing ended in a general round of bonhomie with Chief Justice Kant light-heartedly saying, “All of us have seen student life.” The CJI’s oral remarks about ‘cockroaches’ and ‘parasites’ in the same court room had sparked the advent of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
The CJI, after pronouncing the order, advised that students must “concentrate on careers to establish and create a space in a competitive world”.
The court said it chose to invoke Article 142, primarily keeping in mind the “future prospects of the young protestors”.
“As an institution, we are thankful a constructive environment has been created that will help youngsters.
All the best wishes,” Chief Justice Kant said, giving expression to an air of satisfaction prevalent in the court room.
CJP suspends Sept.
5 protest plan The hearing witnessed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi Police, join petitioners’ lawyers, senior advocate N.
Hariharan and advocate Vrinda Grover, to press for a ‘John Doe’ order banning States from registering any fresh cases linked to the CJP-led protests.
Four BJP-ruled States — Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar, and West Bengal — filed separate applications requesting the court to use Article 142 to quash the FIRs.
The States’ applications were “verbatim” that of the Delhi Police, Mr.
Mehta said.
ALSO WATCH Watch: CJP calls off September 5 march after Centre’s FIR assurances in NEET protests CJP co-convenor Saurav Das, who was present in the court room, was invited to come to the front row to address the Bench.
Mr.
Das read out a statement from his mobile phone, saying that, “in view of the positive assurances of the Government of India [to close the FIRs] and the judicial sanctity bestowed upon them today… the CJP deems it appropriate to withdraw the call for the march on September 5 and looks forward to compliance with today’s order.” During the pronouncement of the order, the court asked the CJP leader to share his statement to be included in the order.
Mehta offered to get a print-out from his own chambers in the court.
Das said the statement was couched in “Gen Z lingo” and thanked the court for the “historic” order.
U-turn ahead of BRICS summit The turnaround began on August 31, when the Delhi Police rushed to the Supreme Court shortly after the CJI Bench refused to halt the planned CJP march ahead of the BRICS summit, due to be held on September 12 and 13.
The Delhi Police then told the court that it did not wish to pursue the FIRs.
Pellet gun usage during Delhi protest: CRPF says not liable to disclose any information in RTI reply The FIRs were initially registered after a brutal police crackdown on July 20 in which tear gas and pellet guns were deployed against fleeing students.
In the FIRs, the police had accused the young protesters of several offences, including rioting, attempt to murder, and damage to public property.
