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Crime
Rajasthan HC Rules Presence at Protest Not Proof of Crime, Protects 23 Agitators
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 05 Oct 2026, 05:47 PM
👁 11
The Rajasthan High Court held that mere attendance at a protest does not constitute evidence of criminal activity, thereby shielding 23 activists from prosecution.
The Rajasthan High Court, in a recent judgment, clarified that simply being present at a protest does not automatically amount to criminal conduct. The court examined the case involving 23 agitators who had been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for their participation in a demonstration.
The judges ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a direct link between the activists’ presence and any unlawful act. As a result, the charges against the 23 individuals were dismissed, and they were granted legal protection from further proceedings.
This decision underscores the importance of distinguishing between lawful assembly and criminal behaviour. Lawmakers and civil society groups have welcomed the ruling, citing it as a safeguard for the right to protest under the Constitution.
The judges ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a direct link between the activists’ presence and any unlawful act. As a result, the charges against the 23 individuals were dismissed, and they were granted legal protection from further proceedings.
This decision underscores the importance of distinguishing between lawful assembly and criminal behaviour. Lawmakers and civil society groups have welcomed the ruling, citing it as a safeguard for the right to protest under the Constitution.