NEET-UG Protests: Petitioners Ask Supreme Court to Reconstitute Probe Panel
Petitioners in the NEET-UG protest case have approached the Supreme Court seeking the reconstitution of the high-powered enquiry committee (HPEC) that is investigating the police action against students demonstrating over the medical entrance exam paper leak. The plea was mentioned before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Wednesday, with the petitioners arguing that the current panel is “under-equipped” to conduct a thorough and impartial probe.
The HPEC, chaired by former Supreme Court judge R. Subhash Reddy, was constituted by the apex court on August 18 to examine allegations of excessive force used by Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) on July 20 during protests over the NEET-UG paper leak. The petitioners clarified that they have no doubts about the personal integrity of the committee members, but they stressed that the enquiry must scrutinise the actions of senior officials, including the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah.
An application filed by the petitioners, mentioned by senior advocates Gopal Sankaranarayanan, Prashant Bhushan, and Neha Rathi, outlined that the probe should cover the roles of officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Delhi Police, and the RAF. This includes the Commissioner of Police Delhi, special and joint commissioners, and the Inspector General of RAF, Seema Dhundia. The application said the enquiry must examine specific directions issued before and on July 20, measures taken to ensure proportional use of force, and actions against personnel who were deployed without uniforms or name tags.
“When the allegations require scrutiny of such high-ranking officials, the enquiry must be visibly and decisively insulated from executive and institutional influence and any perceived bias,” the application stated. It also noted that publicly available information about the non-judicial members of the HPEC does not show specialised experience in independently investigating excessive police force or examining the conduct of senior serving officials.
The committee includes former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court Judge Shalinder Kaur, former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla, and retired Meghalaya DGP Dr. L.R. Bishnoi. The petitioners argued that public information indicates a “long association” between some members and the Union executive, including the Home Minister, which could lead to a perception of bias.
Chief Justice Surya Kant sought to assuage these concerns, stating that the HPEC would function under the supervision of the Supreme Court itself. He noted that the court would keep a close watch on the enquiry's progress and ensure independence.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, strongly objected to the application, saying the petitioners' fears were “completely unwarranted and without basis.” He criticised the naming of individuals and accused the petitioners of trying to impose their will on the court. Mr. Sankaranarayanan countered that the petitioners are not doing any such thing, but merely seeking an early hearing of their application.
The petitioners also warned of a “real risk” that the enquiry might remain confined to field-level personnel and fail to examine the decisions and omissions of senior authorities. They emphasised that a credible investigation is essential to uphold constitutional values and maintain public trust in the judicial process.
The Supreme Court has not yet set a date for hearing the application. The development comes amid ongoing demands from student groups for a transparent inquiry into the police crackdown, which allegedly involved the use of force and the detention of peaceful protesters. The court had earlier taken note of the protests and ordered the constitution of the HPEC to address concerns about excessive force and accountability.
