PATNA, July 29 -- The Bihar government on Tuesday initiated proceedings to withdraw FIRs registered against arrested protesters and then release them. Till Tuesday evening, however, no protesters were released because the process remained underway in the courts and they may walk free from today evening, state officials aware of the development said. The Bihar home department had announced late on Monday that it would withdraw all legal cases, emanating out of 64 FIRs, against protesters who took part in demonstrations till 6 pm, July 26, and ensure their speedy release. The government also clarified that no direct or indirect action will be taken in the future against those named in the cases registered during the specified period. Officials, including the state advocate general SD Sanjay, said that the state government had started initiating the process of informing the concerned courts through district magistrates about the government's decision to withdraw all 64 FIRs lodged in connection with student protests till July 26, (6pm) and there are indications the release of all those arrested and staying in judicial custody might happen by Wednesday evening. Around 410 persons, or even a higher number, were arrested in student protests over NEET exam paper leak issue across the state since July 20 onwards. Most arrests reportedly took place in 13 districts where the agitations turned unruly, resulting in clashes between police personnel and protesters. The arrested students, according to officials, were housed in various jails across Bihar, including the Beur Jail in Patna. Regarding the FIR withdrawal process, officials said that the DMs, who hold the powers of chief prosecution officer, are required to give a proposal to the public prosecutors of district and sessions courts about the government's decision to withdraw FIRs and then make petitions in the courts for withdrawal of the FIRs. The release of protesters in all Bihar districts may take one or two days as the processes are being done through proper legal procedures, officials in the state home department said. "We have already initiated the process for withdrawing of all FIRs related to student protests as per the notification issued on Monday night. All the DMs and PPs have been informed about it and legal procedures and other formalities are being done for release of the protestors," said a senior home department official, not wishing to be named. In Patna, officials said, the process reached an advanced stage with the DM, Patna, Kundan Kumar, having sent a proposal for the withdrawal of all 27 FIRs, which put in motion the process for release of arrested protesters. Public prosecutor ( PP), district and sessions court, Patna, Rajesh Kumar told HT that the process for releasing those arrested in connection with the students protests in Patna from July 22 to July 26 was initiated on Tuesday in the afternoon. "We have informed the concerned courts in the district about the state government's decision to withdraw all 27 FIRs related to student protests over NEET paper leak case in Patna today. There are certain formalities and we expect the release of all those arrested will start from Wednesday onwards," said Kumar. In 27 FIRs registered by the Patna Police, around 160 protesters, including some political leaders, activists and others, were arrested, police officers said. They include former Bihar minister and chief of Janshakti Janata Dal party, Tej Pratap Yadav, who is also the elder son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, and CPI-ML MLA Sandeep Saurabh. Both the leaders are lodged in the Beur Jail with their bail petitions pending in the courts. Yadav was later freed. One of the most violent protests in the state was during the "Bihar bandh" agitation in Siwan on July 25. In direct clashes between police and protesters, three protesters had sustained gunshot injuries and a police constable has been suspended for using an AK-47 assault rifle while facing off with protesters. Most of the protest arrests are reported to have taken place in Siwan. Siwan's DM Siwan, Vivek Ranjan Maitrey, had not contacted the session court for withdrawal of FIRs til 5 pm. "We are processing the withdrawal of the FIRs and it will be done as per the orders issued by the state government. We are working on it and the release of protestors will take place soon," the DM said when asked about steps taken by him for the withdrawal of protest cases. Amit Kumar, a senior lawyer representing cases against All India Student Association (AISA) protesters in Patna and other districts, said that he also expects that the releases of protesters cleared by the government might take two more days. "We are hopeful that the judicial order will be issued for the release of protesters once the state government informs the concerned courts about the withdrawal of FIRs. We want that the protesters should be released at the earliest as per the governmment's decision," he said, adding that over 300 protesters had been arrested, with many being booked in serious charges of attempt to murder and creating obstruction in discharge of duties by the government officials. "We want that there should not be any coercive action against students once the FIRs are withdrawn so that they could have an unhindered career," Kumar said....