Supreme Court has ordered a high-powered five-member committee to investigate allegations of excessive police force
The Supreme Court on Thursday stepped in to investigate allegations of excessive and disproportionate police action against students protesting over the NEET paper leak, setting up a five-member High-Powered Expert Committee to examine what happened during the demonstrations.
The panel, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy, will investigate allegations involving police, paramilitary forces and other security personnel during protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and in other states.
The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said the inquiry must also examine allegations of harassment and molestation, particularly involving women protesters, as well as serious and permanent injuries allegedly suffered during the police action.
Five-Member Panel To Examine Police Crackdown
The committee will also include former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla and retired Meghalaya DGP L R Bishnoi.
The Supreme Court made it clear that the inquiry will not be a one-off exercise. The panel has been asked to conduct continuous and periodic assessments and submit interim findings to the court.
Among the key issues before the committee will be allegations involving lathi-charges, tear gas, pellet guns and electric batons, including questions over the use of metallic pellets and other weapons during crowd control.
CCTV, Drone And Body-Cam Footage To Be Preserved
The court has ordered authorities to preserve CCTV footage, drone recordings, body-camera footage and PCR call records linked to the protests.
The move is aimed at ensuring that evidence remains available while the panel reconstructs what happened during the police action.
The committee will also examine whether police surveillance of protesters violated their constitutional rights to privacy and peaceful assembly.
Supreme Court Seeks Balance Between Protest And Law And Order
The court said the inquiry must consider how authorities can maintain law and order while protecting the constitutional right to peaceful protest.
It will also examine whether police and security personnel involved in arrests or crowd-control operations should be required to wear uniforms and clear identification nameplates to ensure accountability.
The Supreme Court further clarified that departmental action against police officers need not wait for the committee’s findings. Competent authorities can independently initiate action where warranted.
The court also reiterated safeguards for detained minors and directed that protesters’ personal information be protected.
The panel’s investigation could now bring renewed scrutiny to the conduct of security forces during the student protests and determine whether the force used was justified — or went far beyond what was necessary.
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
