The Delhi government on Thursday announced that no adverse legal action will be taken against those involved in sprawling student protests in the Capital last week that forced the resignation of then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.A supporter of Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) holds an Indian national flag at the protest site at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. (REUTERS)With this, Delhi became the fifth state or Union Territory to promise no adverse legal action against protesters who were part of a nationwide agitation called by the Cockroach Janta Party against examination paper leaks, after Bihar, Maharashtra, Assam, and West Bengal.ALSO READ | We want withdrawal of FIRs, not just closure: CJP's Saurav Das on Delhi govt decision“No adverse legal action will be taken by any of the police authorities within NCT of Delhi against those persons who have been involved in these protests. The protection, however, shall not extend to persons having criminal antecedents, as mandated in the order of Hon’ble Supreme Court mentioned above,” said the order by the Delhi home department, signed by its principal secretary Santosh D Vaidya.13 FIRs against protests in DelhiIn Delhi, police have filed 13 first information reports in connection with the student stir, but none of the FIRs name anyone. More than 250 people were detained but were later released.“With regard to arrests/ detentions, if already made, in these cases, the process for reviewing the arrests and releasing the arrested persons will be undertaken expeditiously,” the order added.“Government of NCT of Delhi does not propose to take any further adverse action against the individuals involved in the protests, and the matter shall be treated as closed without any future proceedings on this account.”Delhi's decision comes after SC's orderThe order came two days after the Supreme Court paved the way for an independent inquiry into allegations of police excesses as well as attacks on police personnel during the student protests, holding that allegations disclosed a prima facie case warranting a “thorough, fair and impartial” investigation by a high-powered panel, granting interim protection to protesting students and directing the immediate release of all detained minors without criminal antecedents.A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notices to the Union government and the chief secretaries of Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar, Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, observing that the competing allegations emerging from the nationwide protests could not be resolved without an impartial, evidence-based investigation.Of these, Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar, Assam and West Bengal have issued orders assuring no adverse legal action against protesters. All these are ruled by the National Democratic Alliance.The order is in line with the assurance given by Union minister JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh to members of the CJP when the protest was called off last Saturday. “After the discussion, the first point was that no action should be taken and no FIRs should be filed. If any FIRs have already been registered, whether by the Delhi Police or in BJP-ruled states, it will be withdrawn,” Nadda had said.Over the past two days, members of the CJP had threatened to resume their stir if cases against protesters were not withdrawn.The CJP did not respond to HT’s queries for a comment. However, it posted on its X handle: “We ask that all FIRs against student protesters be completely withdrawn, not just ‘not persuaded further’”.The CJP first garnered millions of followers on social media before launching an indefinite sit-in protest on June 20 in Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Pradhan over repeated question paper leaks – including one earlier this year. Crowds steadily swelled and by July 20, columns of people –– many of them students, first-time agitators and young professionals –– had defied a steady drizzle and police barricading to join what became the largest street protests in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term. Over 100 protesters and 129 security personnel were injured.Delhi home minister Ashish Sood emphasised that the Government of India had already indicated that no action will be taken against student protesters who were expressing their dissent.”But this exemption will not be applied to those who already have criminal cases registered against them and those who committed violence and resorted to vandalism,” he added.What does the FIR against protesters mention?Among the 13 FIRs filed by the Delhi Police are cases registered on charges of attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, rioting and obstruction of duty. HT has seen four of these FIRs, registered at Kartavya Path, Parliament Street and Connaught Place police stations.The first FIR registered at the Parliament Street police station on July 21 mentioned at least 15 sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Arms Act, and Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act, including rioting, criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder, taking a firearm from the police or armed forces using force, voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from duty, and unlawful assembly.The FIR was registered on the complaint of Inspector Inderjeet, the station house officer (SHO) of Parliament Street police station.On July 25, when the protest was called off, the case was transferred to the special cell to probe a “larger conspiracy”, through an order issued by the additional deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) Rajesh Kumar on behalf of the city police chief, Anurag Kumar.In the FIR, seen by HT, the complainant mentioned in Hindi that the “entire riot was done by main CJP leaders under the guidance of AAP using the available hooligans who could be identified through CCTV footage.”The FIR also mentioned that a prima facie review of the entire sequence of events – “from the formation of the so-called Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on May 16 to around 10-11 o’clock on July 20, when the protest site was addressed by various AAP leaders, and on their provocation the gathered crowd turned aggressive and violent, forcibly breaking security arrangements, attacking police and security forces, and causing massive damage to public property” – indicates that the entire series of events was “not spontaneous but was result of “pre-planned and coordinated planning.”“...as per the documentary records, electronic evidence, CCTV footage, videography, and social media materials available so far, it appears that behind the entire series of events, larger criminal conspiracy, organised planning, financial assistance, and planned public outrage, and crowd mobilisation, the possibility of involvement of various people and a political organisation can not be ruled out,” the FIR said.Accordingly, the FIR was registered under sections 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant, section 221 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), section 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), section 121 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty, 181 (unlawful assembly), 190 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 191(2,3) (rioting and being armed with a deadly weapon or with anything which, used as a weapon of offence), 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot- if rioting be committed; if not committed), 324 (mischief), 109 (attempt to murder), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), and 61 (criminal conspiracy), section 25(1ab) of the Arms Act (taking the firearm from the police or armed force using force), and section 3 of the PDPP Act.In another FIR registered on July 21 morning at Kartavya Path station, police levelled charges of attempt to murder among 13 sections while detailing the incident at Rafi Marg from the police’s perspective. The officer, in the FIR, claimed that the crowd starting roughing up and fighting with the security personnel and the “protestors/rioters” with the common intention gheraoed the security personnel, thrashed them, threw slippers at them,pelted stones and “attempted to kill them with the intention to kill them”.Another FIR lodged at Parliament Street police station on July 21 alleged that Rapid Action Force (RAF) police personnel were trying to “control” the crowd when “protesters got aggressive” and chased them.An FIR registered at the Connaught Place police station on July 22 alleged that at least 11 police officials were injured after protesters attacked them. ACP Connaught Place Vivek Bhagat was robbed of his gold ring while Inspector Nand Kishore’s gold chain and wallet were snatched. A head constable was assaulted and robbed of his wireless set and mobile phone, according to the FIR.