Muslim man booked in Bihar students’ protest case despite being in Russia
New Delhi: Indian police have booked a Muslim man from Bihar in connection with the nationwide student protests over examination paper leaks despite him being in Russia for the past four months, raising fresh questions about the credibility of criminal cases registered during crackdown on the demonstrations.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mohammad Sadaqat, a resident of Kishanganj district in Bihar, said he came to know that his name had been included in a police case after his family informed him.
The protests were part of an India-wide student movement demanding accountability for repeated leaks of competitive examination papers, including NEET, India’s medical entrance examination.
In a video posted on social media, Sadaqat displayed his passport and said he had been in Russia since March, making it impossible for him to have participated in any protest in Bihar or elsewhere in India.
“I have been in Russia for four months. How can I be part of a protest in Patna?” he said in the video, which has been widely shared online.
The police have not disclosed details of the case, including the police station where it was registered, the charges invoked or specific allegations against Sadaqat.
Patna Police had registered several criminal cases after the student protests, accusing demonstrators and others of unlawful assembly and other offenses.
The incident has renewed concerns over the registration of criminal cases against individuals without proper verification during crackdowns on public protests.
The student protests erupted across India following repeated examination paper leaks, sparking widespread outrage among aspirants for government jobs and higher education. The movement grew into one of the country’s largest youth-led protests in recent years. Police in several states responded with force, using batons, tear gas and, in some instances, pellet guns to disperse demonstrators.
