As the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest continues at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and agitations intensify across India, the Union Cabinet has approved a draft Bill to ensure stricter punishments — 10 years’ jail for paper leaks, fine up to Rs 10 crore — hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an announcement.
The draft Bill was approved in a Cabinet meeting chaired by the prime minister at the Parliament House complex on Friday.
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The Bill seeks an amendment to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 and proposes a minimum punishment of five years’ imprisonment for individuals involved in paper leaks and/or a fine.
It proposes a jail term of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 10 crore in case of organised paper leaks.
Protests across the country, and the Opposition parties, have been demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET exam paper leak.
18 Delhi Metro stations shut
In view of the protest at Jantar Mantar, 18 metro stations in central Delhi will remain closed on Saturday (July 25), the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said.
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This would mark the fourth consecutive day the metro stations are shut amid security concerns in view of the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest near Jantar Mantar.
DMRC said the stations will remain closed from 7:30 am on Saturday until further instructions. However, interchange facilities will continue to be available at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House and Central Secretariat stations.
The restrictions come as security arrangements remain in place in central Delhi in view of the ongoing CJP protest, which has drawn large gatherings at Jantar Mantar and nearby areas over the past few days.
Wangchuk’s message
Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk said he decided to end his 26-day hunger strike after receiving the Centre’s written assurances because he feared an imminent crackdown on protesters and wanted to prevent violence, recalling the September 24, 2025 firing on youth in Ladakh.
In a YouTube video posted late Friday night, Wangchuk dismissed allegations that he had reached a deal with the government. He emphasised that his primary goal was to ensure that students involved in the protests would not face violence or legal consequences.
He explained that he did not demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during negotiations because his priority was to prevent any legal actions against protesters. Wangchuk expressed confidence that Pradhan would resign eventually.
“Last night around midnight, I was told the ministers had agreed to give the assurance in writing. I was in a hurry because the situation in Delhi was such; there was apprehension that a major crackdown could happen. I was watching reports and was reminded of September 24, 2025, when police and CRPF personnel mercilessly fired at the youth of Ladakh. I was afraid something similar could happen here. I felt that if I ended my fast and appealed for peace, perhaps the situation could be diffused,” he said.
Follow live updates of CJP’s protest in Delhi, here.
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