Bihar Drops 64 NEET Protester FIRs but Siwan Cases Remain

The Bihar government on Tuesday began the formal withdrawal of 64 First Information Reports lodged across the state against demonstrators in last week's NEET-UG paper-leak protests, but police held back 21 cases in Siwan, saying those suspects have established criminal antecedents and were not ordinary student protesters.

In a letter to all district magistrates and public prosecutors, Advocate General S. D. Sanjay directed that the Home Department's 26 July order — which promised blanket immunity for anyone arrested before 6 p.m. that day — be implemented immediately. The 64 FIRs span 18 districts: 27 in Patna, six each in Saran and Siwan, and the remainder spread across fifteen other districts.

What we can verify

• Withdrawal directive issued: The Advocate General's letter, dated 29 July, instructs every district prosecutor to move the concerned courts for quashing the 64 police-registered FIRs linked to the 25 July statewide agitation. — The Indian Express
• Detainee status: Of the 694 people detained during the 25 July protests, 339 minors and students were released after initial verification. The remaining 355 individuals remanded to judicial custody are to be released under the same order. — The Indian Express
• Siwan exclusion: Siwan Police released a list of 21 people they claim have "criminal antecedents" and were involved in the violence at JP Chowk, where a constable discharged an AK-47. Those 21 will not benefit from the withdrawal, and their cases will continue. — The Indian Express
• Private FIRs untouched: Bihar Police clarified that the withdrawal covers only cases filed by their own officials. Complaints lodged by private individuals are not being withdrawn. — The Indian Express
• CPI(ML) Liberation objection: The Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation said several All India Students' Association activists remain jailed and called the partial withdrawal arbitrary. The party said it would not accept the state's word until all detainees are freed. — The Indian Express

What remains unverified

• Exact release timetable: The day-by-day court schedule required to formalise the release of all 355 remanded individuals across multiple district jails has not been published. — [unverified]
• Definition of "criminal antecedents": The specific prior cases cited for the 21 excluded Siwan suspects have not been made public; the police claim they have video and documentary evidence but have not released it. — [unverified]
• Scope of private complaints: The number and districts of private FIRs that will remain active is not yet compiled. — [unverified]