Mehta said the committee would have its first meeting on September 15, 2026
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The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta to ensure “immediate action” by the Delhi Police on the FIR filed in Parliament Street Police Station by a 14-year-old student, who alleged open threats and harassment from vigilantes and miscreants for her role in the Cockroach Janta Party protests against NEET-UG question paper leaks.“These are anti-social elements. They commit violence against a child, and they roam free. Now, they are again trying to browbeat and intimidate the child and her family, so that they do not proceed with any legal action. This is a very serious issue. Her cause is absolutely justified,” Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, heading a three-judge Bench, observed.The Bench, out of respect for the teenager’s privacy and safety, did not name her, and even asked her lawyer to not mention it in open court when live-streaming was on.The young student’s counsel submitted that a “vigilante” had “bragged” on social media about the harm caused to the child and her family. “She is a bona fide victim. She is also a vulnerable victim. No irreversible harm should befall the child or her family,” the lawyer said.Justice Joymalya Bagchi, who accompanied the CJI on the Bench with Justice V Mohana, said the Uttar Pradesh Police should be made responsible for the safety of the student and her family, who reside within the State’s jurisdiction.“The FIR in the Parliament Street police station relates to allegations of miscreants threatening, harassing, intimidating and having indulged in acts of violence against her. If they are true, we would like you to take immediate action on the FIR, and file a report here. Police protection must be given to the victim and family by the police in Uttar Pradesh where she is presently claiming to reside,” Justice Bagchi addressed the top law officer.Counsel argued that vulnerable victims like her client should be able to safeguard their privacy by directly approaching the apex court or accessing the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Enquiry Committee, which was set up to investigate police and anti-social excesses against protesting students on July 20.“The Committee is our extended hand. Whatever the committee does and finds, it will be placed before us only. Protection of vulnerable witnesses should not be less than that given in judicial proceedings… There should not be any obstacle to access for vulnerable victims,” Chief Justice Kant observed.Senior advocate N Hariharan, for petitioners who include students, asked who would register FIRs if the HPEC found police officers liable for the excesses committed on protestors.“Once a cognisable offence is made out, who will register the FIRs? Will the Supreme Court or HPEC order the registration? Will the police investigate their own case?” Hariharan asked the court.The Bench asked him to wait till the enquiry happened and allegations crystallised.“We will iron out these creases then, and pass clarification orders,” Chief Justice Kant assured.Senior advocates Menaka Guruswamy, Gopal Sankaranarayanan and advocate Vrinda Grover flagged the need for a separate hearing by the Supreme Court itself on constitutional questions involving issues like the use of facial recognition surveillance at the Jantar antar protest site and the alleged storage of that data with private entities. Grover pointed out that a separate petition has challenged the alleged use of metal projectiles against unarmed students.“These are broader constitutional questions. How can a fact-finding committee examine constitutional questions?” Guruswamy asked.Advocates Prashant Bhushan and Neha Rathi voiced grievances about a member of the HPEC, alleging “conflict of interest”.Justice Bagchi said that the court would look into grievances brought on record regarding this particular member of the HPEC, but would not tolerate any “presumption of bias” against the constitution of the entire committee constituted by the Supreme Court and headed by a former apex court judge.“This is not an apprehension of bias, but the committee should inspire confidence,” Sankaranarayanan responded.On August 20, the Supreme Court constituted HPEC headed by former apex court judge, Justice R. Subhash Reddy, to probe all issues and allegations, including that of police excesses on students during nationwide protests against NEET-UG paper leaks.Beside Justice Reddy, the committee includes Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court; Justice Shalinder Kaur, former Judge of the Delhi High Court; Rishi Kumar Shukla, former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation; and Dr. L.R. Bishnoi, retired Director General of Police, Meghalaya. Mehta said the committee would have its first meeting on September 15, 2026.Published on September 10, 2026
