SC Directs Panel to Prioritise Sexual Assault Complaints from Jantar Mantar NEET Protest

The Supreme Court has clarified that the High-Powered Enquiry Committee examining allegations of police violence during NEET demonstrations has been instructed to prioritise complaints of sexual assault against women protesters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana noted the directive on Monday after senior advocate Shobha Gupta requested the court to take suo motu cognisance of sexual assault and molestation allegations stemming from the July 20 protest.

According to the Chief Justice, the committee was asked under an order passed last week to investigate these specific allegations on a priority basis and submit an interim report immediately. Justice Bagchi noted that an independent writ petition had also been filed on the issue and referred to the committee for examination.

During the hearing, Gupta highlighted accounts and reports circulating on social media regarding severe physical and sexual abuses during the demonstration, including an instance where a lathi was jabbed into a woman's buttocks. She urged the bench to ensure sexual assault cases are handled separately and asked for a direct mechanism, such as designating a district judge or an officer with a dedicated email address, to allow victims to submit complaints without fear.

The five-member inquiry committee was established by the Supreme Court on August 20 and is headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy. The panel also includes former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court Judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI director Rishi Kumar Shukla, and retired Meghalaya DGP L R Bishnoi.

The committee's broader mandate includes probing the alleged use of excessive force by police, such as the deployment of pellet guns, as well as examining alleged violence by protesters against security personnel during the demonstrations.

The July 20 march towards Parliament resulted in clashes between security personnel and demonstrators, with police using lathis and tear gas shells to disperse crowds. The student agitation over competitive examination irregularities had begun at Jantar Mantar on June 20 and concluded on July 25.