India’s Supreme Court on Tuesday discontinued most criminal investigations against protesters involved in demonstrations sparked by the leak of a medical exam paper, an incident that led to the resignation of the education minister. The court exercised its special constitutional powers to extend relief to participants in the protests, which were organized in July by the online Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement.

The protests escalated into violent clashes on July 20, when tens of thousands of demonstrators in New Delhi attempted to march towards the parliament. Similar unrest was reported in other states, including Bihar and West Bengal. Law enforcement authorities filed cases against hundreds of students, charging them with rioting, violence, and damaging public property.

Chief Justice Surya Kant, while issuing the order, emphasized that "if both sides show good faith, then all issues can be resolved one by one." Alongside dropping most cases, the court instructed the government to compensate families within three months whose members reportedly died by suicide following the exam paper leak.

In response to the court’s ruling, the CJP announced it would cancel its planned protest in Delhi originally scheduled for Saturday, according to CJP spokesman Ashutosh Ranka. However, investigations will continue against a subset of protesters, specifically 2,873 individuals who have prior criminal records.

The demonstrations initially emerged from public outrage over the exam leak but broadened into a wider movement addressing issues such as unemployment, the scarcity of opportunities for young people, and growing criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance, which some opponents describe as increasingly authoritarian. The protests and subsequent legal actions highlight ongoing tensions within India’s political and social landscape.