This Delhi government move comes after 13 people were arrested on the evening of July 29 over the NEET-linked protests. As per the new directive, those who have already been arrested or detained—including these 13 people—will have their cases reviewed.

This Delhi government move comes after 13 people were arrested on the evening of July 29 over the NEET-linked protests. As per the new directive, those who have already been arrested or detained—including these 13 people—will have their cases reviewed.

This Delhi government move comes after 13 people were arrested on the evening of July 29 over the NEET-linked protests. As per the new directive, those who have already been arrested or detained—including these 13 people—will have their cases reviewed.

The Delhi government on Thursday announced it would not pursue any further legal action against the anti-NEET paper leak protesters, but with a crucial condition.

Though it said in a statement that "no adverse legal action" would be taken against those involved the anti-NEET paper leak protests, it added that this relief would not extend to "persons having criminal antecedents".

It also cited the Supreme Court's decision in the Shailendra Mani Tripathi v. Union of India and Ors. case, which saw a three-judge bench, including Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, rule that mere agitations did not justify police excesses.

"Right to peaceful protest is absolutely guaranteed. That cannot be denied ... This is not a question of Delhi only. Uniformity of protocol is needed," the CJI had said.

This Delhi government move comes after 13 people were arrested on the evening of July 29 over the NEET-linked protests.

However, as per the new directive, those who have already been arrested or detained—including these 13 people—will have their cases reviewed.

The Delhi government's move to exclude those with criminal records from its latest relief would also mean that it would continue to crack down on and arrest more people with criminal records who had participated in the anti-NEET paper leak protests in Delhi, in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).

This is part of the Delhi Police's efforts in examining hundreds of gigabytes of CCTV footage, video clips, and other digital evidence from the scene of the CJP's march to Parliament on July 20, as per an NDTV report.

At least 2,873 people have already been identified engaging in some form of violence at the protests so far, such as breaking security barricades, attacking police personnel, pelting stones and damaging public property in the high-security area around Jantar Mantar and Sansad Marg.

The Delhi Police has further alleged in the report that 989 people have been linked to serious offences such as murder, attempted murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, sexual assault, Arms Act violations and cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Habitual offenders have also been identified among the 2,873 people, while 101 have been accused in murder cases, 62 in attempted murder cases, 284 in robbery cases, 61 in rape cases, six booked under the POCSO Act, 25 in sexual assault cases, 229 under the Arms Act and 19 in kidnapping cases.

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