India’s top court drops criminal cases against protesters

New Delhi, September 1 - India's Supreme Court has withdrawn criminal investigations against the majority of protesters involved in demonstrations sparked by the leak of a medical exam paper that led to the resignation of the education minister, invoking its constitutional powers to offer relief. The court's order followed violent clashes between police and tens of thousands of demonstrators in New Delhi on July 20, as well as other states such as Bihar and West Bengal.

The High Court directed the government to compensate the families of students who reportedly took their own lives after the exam paper leak within three months. CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka announced the withdrawal of plans for a protest in Delhi on Saturday, but investigations would persist against 2,873 protesters with prior criminal records.

The demonstrations were initially ignited by outrage over the leaked exam paper, but evolved into a broader movement addressing unemployment, prospects for young individuals, and concerns regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's growing authoritarianism, posing the most significant challenge to Modi since his re-election in 2024.