New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was detained by Delhi Police on Saturday after arriving in the national capital from Mumbai. The detention came ahead of the party’s planned demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of irregularities in voter-list revision.
A video recorded inside an Air India flight showed women police personnel approaching 30-year-old Dipke and other CJP leaders, including Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, after the aircraft landed in Delhi.
During the interaction, Dipke reportedly told the police that he had come prepared for arrest and was not afraid of being detained. A police officer, however, asked him to cooperate, stating that the action was not an arrest. Dipke subsequently requested permission to collect his bag.
According to media reports, the three CJP leaders were taken to different locations. Dipke was reportedly moved to a detention facility in Gurugram, while Das and Ranka were taken to separate locations in Delhi.
Why Were CJP Leaders Detained?
The Cockroach Janta Party, a youth-led protest movement, criticised the police action and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of its leaders.
The organisation described the detentions as an infringement of the right to freedom of movement. It also questioned the action taken before its scheduled demonstration.
The proposed protest was planned at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to raise concerns about alleged voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The demonstration was also expected to address issues related to Form 6, which is used to apply for inclusion in the electoral roll.
The CJP had previously attracted attention through its sit-in protest over alleged irregularities in the national medical entrance examination. According to the supplied report, that campaign took place in July and was followed by the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Dhruv Rathee Detained in Gurugram
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was also reportedly detained ahead of the planned CJP demonstration. The 32-year-old content creator had travelled from Germany to India to join the protest, according to the report.
Sources cited in the report said Rathee was detained at his residence in Sector 56, Gurugram. Approximately 50 Delhi Police personnel were reportedly involved in the operation.
Rathee has a substantial online following, with millions of subscribers on YouTube and followers across Instagram and X.
The report also mentioned a protest-related photograph of Abhijeet Dipke and Dhruv Rathee taken in Bengaluru on October 8, credited to PTI.
CJP Legal Head Ratna Singh Also Reports Detention
Ratna Singh, who heads the CJP’s legal cell, also claimed that police personnel had arrived at her residence before the scheduled demonstration.
In a video shared from her car, Singh alleged that officers instructed her not to leave her home. She said that when she sat inside her vehicle, several police personnel surrounded it.
Singh further claimed that the officers did not explain the reason for the alleged detention. Her account was shared as part of the party’s criticism of the police action ahead of the protest.
More Than 400 People Detained Ahead of Demonstration
Security arrangements were significantly tightened ahead of the proposed CJP protest. According to the supplied report, more than 400 people had been detained overnight, several train services had been cancelled, and multiple metro stations had been closed.
The Centre reportedly deployed more than 20,000 personnel from the police and Central Armed Police Forces to maintain public order and manage the situation.
These measures were taken amid concerns about the possible impact of the demonstration on security and public movement in the national capital.
Delhi Police Denies Permission for CJP Protest
Delhi Police reportedly refused permission for the proposed gathering, citing the late submission of the application and alleged violations of rules during an earlier demonstration.
According to the police, the application requesting permission was received on October 7, only three days before the planned event. The authorities stated that applications of this nature must generally be submitted at least 10 days before the proposed demonstration.
The denial of permission and the detention of CJP leaders became major points of contention between the organisation and the authorities.
The developments have drawn attention to questions surrounding public demonstrations, police powers, freedom of movement and the political debate over electoral-roll revision.
Disclaimer: This article is based on the information provided in the source material. Allegations and claims attributed to individuals, political groups or police sources should be independently verified against official statements and reliable news reports before publication.
