New Delhi: Its July 28 order would not prevent the NCT of Delhi or any other state from closing or withdrawing proceedings arising out of FIRs registered against student protesters, wherever permissible in accordance with law, the Supreme Court said on Monday. The protection would not extend to persons accused of serious offences, including rape and other heinous crimes, the Court clarified. The FIRs registered across the states could first be identified and classified, the bench suggested, following which the authorities could take recourse to the appropriate statutory procedure in each case. “If you can gather information from other states on how many FIRs were registered… After this classification, you can then take recourse [to law],” the CJI said. The matter was posted for further hearing on August 18 and the Centre has been directed to file its response in the meantime.