Delhi HC notifies fast-track courts, 480 Pak-based handles blocked

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the establishment of fast-track courts to ensure swift action against those involved in examination paper leaks, the Delhi High Court on Thursday constituted a specially designated Fast Track Court to exclusively hear cases under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. In an order issued by Registrar General Arun Bhardwaj, the High Court said Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya has ordered the posting of Anu Grover Baliga as Special Judge (PC Act) (CBI)-25 in the newly created Fast Track Court at the Rouse Avenue Courts Complex. The transfer has been made with immediate effect.
The newly constituted court will exclusively try offences under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, commonly known as the anti-cheating law, along with connected offences. The High Court directed that the judicial officer would function under the administrative control of the Principal District and Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge (PC Act) (CBI), Rouse Avenue Courts Complex. It also ordered the transfer of all pending cases under the Act and related offences to the newly created Fast Track Court.
The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, provides for imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to Rs10 lakh for those found guilty of using unfair means or leaking question papers in public examinations. The law covers examinations conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) as well as recruitment and entrance examinations conducted by agencies such as UPSC, SSC, RRB, IBPS and various Central government ministries and departments.
Meanwhile,the Delhi Police on Thursday said it had identified and blocked around 480 social media handles originating from Pakistan for allegedly spreading fake and misleading content related to the student protest. The police said these accounts were attempting to take advantage of the situation by circulating misinformation and misleading posts, urging students and the public not to fall prey to unverified content. The warning comes amid the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party's protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Pradhan over the NEET paper leak row.The police further claimed that the identified accounts were the same handles that had been active during Operation Sindoor.

480 Pakistan-based social media handles involved in coordinated misinformation campaigns were identified and blocked.

Delhi Police appeals to students and youth to be wary of such foreign accounts spreading rumours to mislead the situation.@LtGovDelhi #DPUpdates pic.twitter.com/SXzwXosDGr

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) July 23, 2026

As per angency reports, seventeen metro stations in central Delhi will remain closed on Friday, marking the third consecutive day of closure, in the wake of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said late on Thursday that the stations will remain closed from 7.30 am on Friday until further instructions, citing security reasons. The stations to remain shut are Lok Kalyan Marg, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, Barakhambha Road, Supreme Court, Seva Teerth, Janpath, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, ITO, Delhi Gate, Indraprastha, Khan Market, Jor Bagh, Shivaji Stadium and Jhandewalan. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday continued its protest for the 34th consecutive day, demanding the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.