When the flight of Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das touched down at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi Police moved to place the three Cockroach Janta Party leaders under preventive arrest. The detention occurred as they were en route to a planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar. According to the party’s legal affairs head, Ratna Singh, the authorities acted without any prior Supreme Court petition filed by the party seeking the leaders’ release, a point she emphasized to counter rumors circulating online.
The trio had been travelling to Delhi to join a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstration was framed around alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Anticipating the rally, Delhi Police had heavily secured the area around Jantar Mantar and taken preventive measures across the city to stop demonstrators from reaching the site.
4pm. Along with our 4 MPs, we have started our dharna at Dwarka North PS where we have been brought. We were kidnapped and driven around in a prison van for two hours. I am not returning to Kolkata tonight and in protest against all that is happening today against the youth and all, I will join the I.N.D.I.A march on Monday.
Following their arrest, the leaders were slated to be produced before an Executive Magistrate. Ratna Singh conveyed an update that Abhijeet, Ashutosh and Saurav would appear before the Executive Magistrate at Delhi Cantt Police Station at 9 AM on the day in question, information she said came from a Delhi police official. The leaders were scheduled to be produced before the Executive Magistrate at Delhi Cantt Police Station at 9 AM.
On a Sunday, an Executive Magistrate ordered the release of Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka from detention.
On a Sunday, an Executive Magistrate ordered the release of Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka from detention. The release came amid the heightened security environment and the widespread preventive detentions that had been deployed to keep protesters away from Jantar Mantar. Following their release, the party's legal team moved an application on behalf of Ratna Singh seeking the registration of an FIR or a non-cognisable report against police personnel.
Delhi police should thank their stars that they are in India and not France right now.
A Delhi court subsequently dismissed the application moved on behalf of Singh that had sought to register an FIR against the police. Ratna Singh had earlier clarified that the party had not filed any Supreme Court petition concerning the arrests.
The protest that prompted their travel remains centered on the call for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to step down, while the authorities continue to maintain tight security around potential rally sites.
“Mamata's party in 2 per cent vote category in bypolls, so she is going to Delhi to get photographed. They have been completely discarded.” - West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh on Mamata Banerjee getting detained in Delhi for protesting against CEC https://t.co/kDlAOdmUZn