Bihar government announces that FIRs registered against protesters will be withdrawn and the arrested people will be released, while only government‑filed FIRs will be dismissed and action will continue in cases filed on the basis of private complaints.

Today the Bihar government announced it will withdraw FIRs registered against protesters and release the arrested, but only those FIRs that were raised by the government itself will be withdrawn, while action will continue in cases that were filed on the basis of private complaints.^[2][3]

In the statement, authorities clarified that the revocation applies only to BJP‑filed cases. Private‑complaint FIRs will still be pursued, indicating a deliberate distinction between state‑initiated and civil‑initiated legal actions.^[3]

The decision, made amid a series of protests across the state, was communicated via a press briefing and is expected to affect hundreds of demonstrators who were detained in recent days.^[2]

Implications for Law Enforcement

Law‑enforcement officials will need to navigate a dual framework, withdrawing state‑filed FIRs while maintaining processes for privately filed ones. The distinction may complicate investigations, as agencies are instructed to keep a separate docket for civil complaints.^[3]

Public Response

Civil society groups have expressed cautious optimism, noting that the withdrawal may curb arbitrary arrests but warn that the continued enforcement of private‑complaint FIRs could still result in punitive actions against protestors.^[3]