NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India is taking decisive steps to address the severe allegations of state-sponsored violence that marred the recent student-led demonstrations in the national capital. On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, a Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant indicated that it may constitute a high-powered, independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) to thoroughly probe the alleged police excesses during the recent NEET protests.
Supreme Court Demands Accountability for Police Excesses
The judicial intervention comes in the direct aftermath of the massive July 20 ‘Chalo Sansad’ march, organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). During the march, Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel deployed tear gas, water cannons, lathi charges, and heavily criticized pellet guns to disperse the unarmed youth protesters.
Taking serious cognisance of multiple public interest litigations (PILs) filed by civil rights groups, the Chief Justice expressed deep concern over the disproportionate use of force. The apex court explicitly directed the Delhi Police to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of any minors who were detained during the chaotic clashes. “The state cannot treat its protesting youth as enemy combatants,” the Bench observed orally, stressing that an independent probe is necessary to restore public faith in law enforcement and to hold erring officers accountable for unprovoked brutality.
Challenging Mass Surveillance and Facial Recognition
In a highly significant related development, the Supreme Court also agreed to hear a specialized petition directly challenging the advanced surveillance tactics deployed by the state against the demonstrators. Rajya Sabha MP A.A. Rahim officially moved the apex court to challenge the Delhi Police’s aggressive deployment of Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) and drone-based mass surveillance during the protests.
Rahim’s legal counsel argued that the arbitrary and unregulated use of FRT to scan crowds, identify peaceful protesters, and build digital dossiers violates the fundamental right to privacy guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. The petition claims that the police are actively creating a “chilling effect” on democratic dissent by weaponizing surveillance technology to digitally profile and target student activists.
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The Supreme Court has issued a formal notice to the Union Home Ministry and the Delhi Police Commissioner, demanding a detailed affidavit explaining the statutory backing, data retention policies, and exact operational guidelines governing their use of facial recognition systems on civilian populations.