A 25-year-old woman has been booked after she allegedly made abusive remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led demonstrations against the NEET paper leak at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

The accused, identified as Ruchika Singh, allegedly made the comments on July 23. A complaint was lodged on Wednesday, claiming that her statements insulted the dignity of the Prime Minister's office and had the potential to disturb communal harmony and public order.

Based on the complaint, police registered a Zero FIR at the Expressway Police Station in Noida under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to intentional insult, statements likely to create public mischief and defamation. As the alleged incident occurred in Delhi, the case has since been transferred to the Parliament Street Police Station for further investigation.

Reacting to the development, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said that while offensive language should not be encouraged, invoking criminal proceedings against a protester over such remarks was excessive.

He maintained that anyone who believes they have been defamed is free to pursue legal remedies through civil or criminal defamation proceedings. However, he argued that using the criminal justice system against protesters for objectionable speech could discourage free expression and create a chilling effect.

Das also appealed to young people to exercise restraint in their public statements and avoid using derogatory language against individuals. At the same time, he urged law enforcement agencies not to misuse legal provisions for political purposes, describing such action as unacceptable.

The case comes shortly after the Delhi government announced that no further legal action would be taken against most people detained during the anti-paper leak protests. The relaxation, however, excludes individuals with prior criminal records.

Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said the government had honoured its commitment to students by reviewing the cases linked to the protests. He clarified that those with criminal antecedents who allegedly used the agitation to indulge in violence would continue to face legal action.