NEET Paper Leak Protest: SCBA President Vikas Singh Seeks Judicial Inquiry into Alleged Police Excesses at Jantar Mantar

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President and Senior Advocate Vikas Singh has addressed a representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging the Centre to institute a judicial inquiry into the police action against students during the July 20 'Chalo Sansad' demonstrations in New Delhi over the NEET paper leak.

Singh has also called for immediate action against those responsible, alleging that the police used "unprovoked and disproportionate" force against peaceful protesters.

In a letter dated July 22, 2026, shared by Singh on X, the senior advocate said he was writing both in his capacity as President of the SCBA and as a concerned citizen. The representation has been addressed to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister.

The representation states that the incident reflects "a dual administrative collapse" comprising both the alleged unlawful police action against peaceful demonstrators and the failure of authorities to conduct national examinations fairly.

According to Singh, students had assembled to demand accountability over alleged NEET-UG paper leaks and to raise concerns relating to employment. He alleged that instead of facilitating peaceful protest, the police resorted to excessive force.

The letter cites reports published by various media organisations to allege that more than 100 protesters sustained injuries, several requiring hospitalisation, with some admitted to intensive care units. It further alleges that protesters were repeatedly struck on the head with lathis while some were holding copies of the Constitution.

Singh also alleged that unidentified persons in plain clothes armed with lathis participated alongside police personnel in assaulting demonstrators without displaying badges or authorisation.

The representation further raises allegations regarding the treatment of women and minors during the protest. Referring to media reports, Singh claimed that female protesters and minors, including a 16-year-old student, were subjected to lathi-charge.

The SCBA President further alleged that journalists covering the demonstrations were obstructed from carrying out their work. According to the representation, credentialed reporters and independent video journalists were tear-gassed, physically assaulted, threatened and prevented from filming the events.

Singh also questioned what he described as widespread non-compliance with identification norms, alleging that several police personnel deployed during the operation were not displaying mandatory name badges.

The letter additionally criticises the use of tear gas near the Central Secretariat Metro Station and against students on hunger strike, claiming that such deployment created stampede-like conditions. It further alleges that law enforcement dismantled the protest site at Jantar Mantar and detained organisers despite the demonstration being peaceful.

In one of its more serious allegations, the representation claims that medical professionals administering first aid to injured protesters were also assaulted. Singh states that eyewitness accounts and video footage indicate that doctors and healthcare workers who were not participating in the protest were allegedly attacked while attempting to treat the injured. The letter further alleges that unconscious protesters lying on the ground were struck during the police action.

The representation also disputes claims regarding injuries suffered by police personnel during the demonstrations. Singh states that while figures suggesting injuries to between 50 and 118 police personnel have circulated publicly, there is, according to him, no verifiable evidence showing police officers being assaulted by protesters. Instead, the letter contends that injuries to police personnel were primarily the result of stampedes and tactical mismanagement. These assertions have not been independently verified.

Singh also referred to an alleged assault on advocates present at the site. He stated that several lawyers supporting the students were manhandled during the demonstrations, specifically naming Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde as among those allegedly assaulted.

Alleged legal violations

The representation contends that the police action violated constitutional guarantees under Articles 19(1)(a), 19(1)(b), 14 and 21. It also invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 governing dispersal of unlawful assemblies.

Referring to Section 149(3) of the BNSS [corresponding to Section 130(3) of CrPC], Singh argues that law enforcement authorities are statutorily required to use only the minimum force necessary while dispersing assemblies. He further alleges that the Delhi Police Manual requiring lathi-charge to be confined below the waist and mandating visible nameplates on officers was violated during the operation.

The letter also refers to Supreme Court and Delhi High Court decisions emphasising that police force must remain minimal, preventive and proportionate while dealing with public assemblies.

Concerns over examination system

Apart from criticising the police action, Singh devoted a substantial portion of the representation to recurring examination paper leaks and recruitment irregularities.

The letter traces alleged breaches in national and state examinations between 2017 and 2025, including AIIMS MBBS, SSC examinations, CBSE Board examinations, JEE, NEET-UG, UGC-NET, CSIR, East Central Railway recruitment examinations, Rajasthan Teacher Eligibility Test and Uttar Pradesh Police Constable recruitment.

According to Singh, repeated examination irregularities have caused significant hardship to students, many of whom have crossed age limits for recruitment or suffered financial and emotional distress.

While acknowledging the enactment of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, Singh contends that paper leaks have continued despite the legislation. He argues that enforcement mechanisms remain inadequate and criticises what he describes as the executive's reliance on measures such as restrictions on digital platforms instead of dismantling organised examination leak networks.

Relief sought

In his representation, Singh has urged the Union Government to order a judicial inquiry into the alleged police excesses during the student demonstrations and to take immediate action against those responsible.

He has also called for institutional accountability in relation to examination failures, asserting that safeguarding the integrity of public recruitment and entrance examinations is essential to protecting the constitutional rights and future prospects of millions of students.