Delhi Police detained several leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Saturday, hours before the group’s planned protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Those detained include party founder Abhijeet Dipke, leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, and legal affairs head Ratna Singh.
Detention at Delhi Airport
Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were taken into custody from an Air India flight shortly after it landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport from Mumbai. Reports said police officers entered the aircraft and detained the three leaders before they could leave the airport.
Ratna Singh, who heads CJP’s legal team, was detained separately along with three other lawyers. The party said she was surrounded by police personnel and held in a police vehicle.
Why the Protest Was Planned
The CJP had called for a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, described by the party as “Jantar Mantar 2.0.” The protest was aimed at demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and concerns linked to Form 6, used for voter registration.
The party had earlier held a protest in Mumbai and said it would intensify its campaign in Delhi. However, Delhi Police did not grant permission for the Jantar Mantar gathering, citing the short notice and alleged violations of conditions during the earlier protest.
CJP Alleges Pre-Planned Action
CJP described the detentions as a “pre-planned interception” and alleged that the police action was intended to weaken the leadership of the protest before demonstrators could reach Jantar Mantar. The party demanded the immediate and unconditional release of its leaders.
Abhijeet Dipke was quoted in reports as saying that he was not afraid of arrest and was ready to face police action.
Tight Security in Delhi
Delhi Police carried out preventive detentions across the capital ahead of the protest. Initial reports said more than 500 people were detained, while later reports put the number at over 1,500.
Security was intensified around central Delhi. Entry and exit gates at 45 Metro stations, including Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk and Kashmere Gate, were closed. Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in large numbers to restrict movement towards Jantar Mantar.
What Happens Next
The detentions have intensified the political row around the CJP’s protest and the alleged electoral roll issues. While the party calls the action illegal and politically motivated, Delhi Police maintain that the preventive steps were taken because permission for the protest was denied.
The situation remains fluid, with CJP leaders shifted to undisclosed locations and further protests possible despite the police restrictions.
