A Bihar resident Mohammad Sadaqat has questioned why police named him in a case linked to protests over the NEET paper leak, claiming that he had been living in Russia for the past four months and was not even in the country when the alleged incident took place.
Mohammad Sadaqat, a resident of Kishanganj district, made the claim in a video purportedly recorded in Russia. In the video, Sadaqat said he was abroad when protesters gathered in Bahadurganj on July 25 and questioned the basis on which police registered a case against him.
Sadaqat has demanded a fair investigation and urged authorities to remove his name from the FIR if the allegations against him are found to be incorrect. His claim has raised questions over the process through which names were included in cases related to the protests, although police have not publicly confirmed whether he was wrongly named.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of widespread protests in Bihar over the alleged NEET paper leak. The protests, which took place in several parts of the state, led to clashes between demonstrators and police in some locations and prompted the authorities to detain hundreds of people.
In his purported video, Sadaqat directly questioned the registration of the case against him. He said he had been staying in Russia for around four months and therefore could not have been physically present at the Bahadurganj protest on July 25.
Sadaqat also appealed to the authorities to examine the facts surrounding his alleged involvement before taking further action. He called for an impartial investigation and asked officials to delete his name from the FIR if the evidence does not support the allegations.
The Kishanganj police have not confirmed or denied Sadaqat’s claim. When contacted about the video, Kishanganj Superintendent of Police Hari Mohan Shukla said that anyone who had a grievance related to the protests could approach the police and seek redressal.
The police response leaves the question of Sadaqat’s alleged presence at the protest open for now. His claim that he was in Russia, if independently verified, could become an important factor in determining whether he was wrongly named in the case.
The matter also highlights the wider concerns surrounding the registration of cases following large-scale protests. In situations involving mass demonstrations, authorities often face the difficult task of identifying individuals allegedly involved in unlawful activity. At the same time, those named in police cases have the right to challenge allegations and present evidence in their defence.
The Bihar government’s decision to withdraw cases connected with the recent protests has added another dimension to the controversy. On Monday, the state government announced that it would withdraw cases registered in connection with incidents related to the protests over the NEET paper leak.
According to a notification issued by the state home department, the government would withdraw all FIRs, complaints and showcause notices linked to incidents that occurred before 6 am on July 26.
The government also directed that people arrested in connection with those incidents be released forthwith.
The decision followed protests across Bihar after a statewide bandh was called over the NEET paper leak issue. Demonstrators had raised concerns over examination security and demanded action from the authorities.
Police detained 694 people in connection with the incidents, according to the information provided by the authorities. Nearly half of those detained were minors, who were allegedly involved in attempts to enforce the statewide bandh.
The government’s decision to withdraw the cases means that the legal proceedings arising from the specified protest-related incidents will not continue in the same manner. However, individual claims of wrongful implication, such as the one raised by Sadaqat, may still require verification and appropriate administrative or legal action.
For Sadaqat, the central issue remains straightforward: he says he was thousands of kilometres away when the protest took place and wants authorities to establish the facts before allowing his name to remain connected with the case.
His allegation also comes at a time when the issue of the NEET paper leak has become a major political and public concern in Bihar. Students, opposition parties and protest groups have repeatedly raised questions about examination security and demanded stronger measures to prevent question-paper leaks and other irregularities.
The protests have consequently placed additional pressure on the state administration to address both the concerns of students and the handling of cases arising from demonstrations.
The immediate focus in Sadaqat’s case is likely to remain on whether authorities can verify his claim that he was in Russia at the time of the Bahadurganj protest. Travel records, immigration documents and other evidence could help establish his location during the period in question.
Until such verification takes place, his claim remains an allegation. The police have neither confirmed nor rejected his version of events.
The episode underlines the importance of a careful investigation whenever police register cases arising from large protests. While authorities have a responsibility to investigate alleged violations of law, individuals who believe they have been wrongly named also have the right to seek a review of the evidence against them.
As the controversy surrounding the NEET paper leak continues to unfold, the case involving Sadaqat has brought attention to another concern: ensuring that people who were not present at a protest are not mistakenly implicated in cases connected with it.
For now, Sadaqat is seeking clarity from the authorities and asking the police to investigate his claim that he was in Russia when the July 25 protest took place. The Kishanganj police, meanwhile, have invited people with grievances related to the protests to approach them for redressal.