The Supreme Court on Monday clarified that its five-member High-Powered Enquiry Committee examining police conduct during recent NEET protests has been directed to prioritize allegations of sexual assault against female demonstrators and immediately submit an interim report.
The statement from a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana followed submissions by senior advocate Shobha Gupta. Gupta urged the court to take suo motu cognisance of reported sexual assault and molestation instances occurring during a July 20 demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
Citing reports and accounts shared on social media—including an allegation that an officer jabbed a lathi into a female protester—Gupta requested a specialized mechanism for handling these complaints. She suggested establishing a dedicated email address, assigning a designated officer or district judge, and launching a public outreach effort so affected individuals could submit complaints directly to the inquiry body.
Composition and Mandate of the Inquiry Panel
Chief Justice Surya Kant noted that the court had already requested the committee to evaluate sexual assault complaints on a priority basis and produce an interim report promptly. Justice Bagchi added that an independent writ petition regarding the allegations had also been referred to the panel for review.
The five-member panel was established by the apex court on August 20 and is chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice R Subhash Reddy. Its other members include former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court Judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former Central Bureau of Investigation Director Rishi Kumar Shukla, and retired Meghalaya Director General of Police L R Bishnoi.
The panel is tasked with investigating allegations of excessive police force—including the deployment of pellet guns—as well as claims of violence committed by demonstrators against police and security personnel.
Background of National NEET Agitation
The investigation stems from nationwide student demonstrations concerning alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including NEET. The protests, which began at Jantar Mantar on June 20, focused on demands for the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Tensions escalated during a July 20 Parliament march organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, leading to violent clashes between security forces and demonstrators. Police deployed lathis and tear gas shells to clear the crowds. The overall agitation ended on July 25 after Pradhan resigned from his post and the government agreed to the remaining demands put forward by the Cockroach Janta Party.
