Paper leak protest: SC to hear pleas alleging police excesses on students on July 27
The Supreme Court on Friday, July 24 said it will hear on Monday, July 27 two separate petitions alleging police excesses on students protesting NEET paper leak and other exam irregularities.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana agreed to hear the PILs after the matter was mentioned before it.
"Police is using excessive force against the students," Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan said. "The court stands between us and the police."
Urging the apex court to list the pleas for hearing, he said there was urgency in the matter as this was happening on a daily basis.
Sankaranarayanan told the bench that two separate petitions have been filed regarding the violence that took place during students' protests across the country. He said both pleas have been filed and they have been numbered by the apex court registry.
The CJI said the pleas would be listed for hearing on July 27.
Students have been staging protests in several states against the paper leak.
The Cockroach Janta Party-led march on July 20 in Delhi witnessed clashes between protesters and security personnel, who used lathis and tear gas to disperse crowds attempting to move towards Parliament.
The protestors were demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak issue.
On July 22, the Delhi High Court had sought responses from the Centre and the Delhi Police on two separate pleas alleging excessive use of force against protesters during the July 20 march to Parliament.
The high court had directed the authorities to preserve all relevant records in relation to the police action, including CCTV camera footage and any videography.
