Congress seeks withdrawal of ‘false’ cases against Mumbai student protesters

The Maharashtra Congress on Thursday stepped up its support for students protesting against alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, demanding the withdrawal of what it termed “false” cases registered against hundreds of students in Mumbai who joined demonstrations in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led agitation in New Delhi.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal led a delegation of senior party leaders, including Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Naseem Khan and former Mumbai Congress chief Bhai Jagtap, to submit a memorandum of demands to Director General of Police (DGP) Sadanand Date and Mumbai police commissioner Deven Bharti.

The party alleged that students faced “illegal detention”, arbitrary police action and privacy violations during the recent crackdown on protesters. It claimed that several young demonstrators were detained before they could reach protest venues and were prevented from participating in peaceful demonstrations.

In its memorandum, the Congress alleged that around 500 to 700 students were taken into preventive custody in Mumbai on 20 and 22 July. Many, it claimed, were picked up from metro stations, public roads and even outside their homes before they could join the protests.

The party further accused the police of registering “false” FIRs despite the absence of prohibitory orders and alleged that officers checked students’ mobile phones without proper authority and forced some to share their live locations.

The memorandum claimed that 200 to 300 students remained detained at police stations across areas including Dharavi, Mahim, Juhu, Chembur and Dadar.

Seeking immediate relief, the Congress demanded the release of all detained students, withdrawal of FIRs and departmental action against police officials accused of violating legal procedures. The party also urged authorities to drop criminal cases against minors and young students, warning that such cases could affect their education, career prospects and opportunities for higher studies abroad.

Sapkal said the Congress would continue to stand with the protesting students and intensify its agitation if corrective steps were not taken by the police authorities.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police said it had registered 13 FIRs since 18 July in connection with the ongoing protests, booking around 400 people for alleged unlawful assembly and violation of prohibitory orders. Officials said notices were issued to those named in the FIRs, after which they were allowed to leave.

The protests in Mumbai have emerged as an extension of the student-led agitation in New Delhi, with demonstrators demanding accountability and reforms over alleged irregularities in the medical entrance examination process.

With PTI inputs