Bihar Drops Legal Action Against NEET Protesters, Orders Release Of Arrested Demonstrators
Bihar Drops Legal Action Against NEET Protesters, Orders Release Of Arrested Demonstrators Published By, Last Updated: July 28, 2026, 02:55 IST The state Home Department
Bihar Drops Legal Action Against NEET Protesters, Orders Release Of Arrested Demonstrators Published By, Last Updated: July 28, 2026, 02:55 IST The state Home Department said no punitive or retaliatory action would be taken against individuals who participated in the protests before 6 pm on July 26. Police stop AISA activists during a protest in Patna on July 22. (PTI file photo) The Bihar government on Monday announced that it will withdraw all cases filed against protesters over the NEET paper leak issue and release those arrested during the demonstrations. The state Home Department said no punitive or retaliatory action would be taken against individuals who participated in the protests before 6 pm on July 26, 2026. It added that the process to withdraw FIRs, criminal complaints and show-cause notices would begin immediately. According to police, 694 people were detained during the Bihar bandh called on July 25 by pro-Left student groups.
While 339 minors were released, the remaining 355 people were booked under various laws. The statement made it clear that the “legal process for withdrawal of all FIRs, criminal complaints and show-cause notices" against individuals who took part in the protests “will be initiated immediately". The government has now ordered the release of those arrested in connection with the protests, which had intensified across the state over the NEET paper leak issue and police action against students. ‘All Arrested Will Be Immediately Released’ “Furthermore, all the persons arrested/detained in connection with the cases… shall be released immediately", and “no action, directly or indirectly will be taken against such individuals in future as well", it said. The announcement came barely a few hours after All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora, who was among those spearheading the protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, had called on Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar and submitted a memorandum seeking withdrawal of all the cases and release of those arrested.
She had also told reporters that the state could witness “protests on the scale of Jantar Mantar in Delhi" if the demands were not met, and voiced surprise that the Samrat Choudhary government in Bihar was allegedly acting in a high-handed manner “even as the Union government has assured there will be no coercive action". CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, to whose party AISA is affiliated, expressed delight over the development. Bhattacharya, who had taken part in the protests at Jantar Mantar, shared screenshots of the Bihar Home Department statement on X, saying “another retreat for the BJP, victory for the people". Left-wing student organisations had held demonstrations across Bihar on July 25, some of which turned violent, in support of the statewide bandh against the NEET paper leak issue and police action on protesting students. (With inputs from PTI) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.
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