'Have to build confidence': SC to set up probe panel on Delhi protest violence

The Supreme Court of India has announced the establishment of a high-powered committee to investigate allegations of excessive police force and violence against police personnel during a student protest on July 20 in Delhi. The committee, set to be constituted on Wednesday, will comprise former Supreme Court and high court judges, as well as a retired director general of police.

The bench, consisting of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, indicated that the committee's findings would be submitted periodically, enabling the court to issue further directions.

The protest, organized by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), was aimed at targeting inefficiencies in the conduct of the NEET exam and seeking the resignation of the education minister. The committee's purpose is to examine the factual aspects of the allegations and submit periodic reports, allowing the court to make further decisions. The proceedings will cover both allegations of excessive police force by the youth and violence against police personnel, rather than focusing solely on allegations against the police.

The committee's composition includes senior advocates such as N Hariharan, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, Menaka Guruswamy, Shadan Farasat, and Vrinda Grover, who are appearing for the petitioners. The bench also addressed the issue of FIRs registered against students and young protesters, emphasizing that authorities would have to identify those with serious criminal antecedents rather than treating them as a generic "undesired elements" category.

The Delhi Police, in their counter-affidavit, defended their actions as a "graded" response after protesters breached multiple barricades and attempted to move towards Parliament. They claimed that over 240 police and uniformed personnel and around 200 protesters were injured, with more than 5,000 police personnel deployed to manage over 30,000 protesters spread across nearly three kilometers.

The police sought to counter the petitioners' reliance on photographs, video clips, and media reports, arguing that these materials were selective, incomplete, and not independently verified.