Some National Democratic Alliance-ruled states on Tuesday began moving to withdraw police cases filed during recent student demonstrations but almost none of them had yet released the hundreds of protesters who were detained or arrested over the past week.
In Maharashtra, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, directed the home department to withdraw first information reports lodged against protesters involved in demonstrations across the state, people aware of the matter said.
Most of the protests were held in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur on July 23-24 in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) agitation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and against the July 20 police crackdown on demonstrators.
The cases were largely related to unlawful assembly. On Monday, the CJP demanded the release of all arrested protesters and withdrawal of FIRs, warning it would resume protests if the government failed to provide a written assurance. An official familiar with the matter said a large number of them students have been impacted. “Although the number of cases is not yet available, it is expected to run into dozens.” He added, “There is no legal provision to simply withdraw an FIR. Due process must be followed.”
