Abhijeet Dipke release comes amid a widening confrontation between Delhi Police and protesters challenging the Election Commission’s electoral-roll revision exercise.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, October 17, 2026: A Delhi court on Saturday ordered the conditional release of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, a day after Delhi Police detained and arrested him ahead of the outfit’s planned ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march at Connaught Place to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Dipke was produced before a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) after police initiated preventive proceedings against him under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The court directed his release subject to conditions requiring him to maintain peace and good behaviour, according to reports.
The latest development follows a day of heightened security, widespread detentions and the registration of multiple FIRs during demonstrations against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The allegations of electoral manipulation are contested, and the Election Commission has maintained that the revision exercise was not politically motivated.
Dipke detained minutes before planned march
Police detained Dipke on Friday afternoon near Jhandewalan as he was preparing to leave for the proposed 5 pm gathering at Central Park in Connaught Place.
According to reports, officers had served him a notice prohibiting the march, citing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS, the absence of permission for the proposed gathering and concerns about public safety, traffic and disruption. Central Park was reportedly ordered closed on Friday and Saturday.
The action came despite the Delhi High Court declining to prohibit the proposed October 16 demonstration on October 15. The court had recorded the police’s assurance that appropriate measures would be taken to regulate the gathering and maintain order.
The Indian Express reported that police detained Dipke before the march could get underway. Although authorities mounted a substantial security operation, demonstrators gathered at different locations in central Delhi, waving the national flag and raising slogans against the Chief Election Commissioner.
CJP alleges Dipke Detention unlawful; police cite public order
CJP’s legal affairs head, Ratna Singh, had questioned the legality of Dipke’s detention, alleging that his whereabouts were not disclosed for several hours and that lawyers faced difficulties meeting him.
The party argued that calling on citizens to wave the national flag could not, by itself, constitute a criminal offence. It described the police action as an attempt to prevent a peaceful political demonstration.
Delhi Police, however, cited preventive provisions and restrictions on the proposed gathering, saying the action was intended to avert a breach of peace and maintain public order.
The dispute raises questions about how restrictions on public assemblies are applied when political groups seek to organise demonstrations in prominent public spaces. The legality of particular police actions must be assessed against the applicable orders, statutory provisions and facts of each incident.
More than 150 protesters detained; multiple FIRs registered
The crackdown extended beyond Dipke. More than 100 protesters were detained during Friday’s demonstrations, with reports placing the number at around 150. Demonstrators assembled near Palika Bazaar, Mandi House and other locations after police tightened security across central Delhi.
The Indian Express reported that multiple FIRs were registered following the march, including in connection with alleged violations of prohibitory orders and obstruction of public servants. Police had warned organisers against proceeding without the required permission.
Despite Dipke’s detention, protesters continued to assemble at different locations, carrying the Tricolour and demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.
The protest was organised under the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ campaign. CJP had called for the gathering partly in support of its leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were earlier arrested in a separate case involving their alleged entry into the de-notified Jantar Mantar protest site.
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Neha Bora released after nearly 12 hours
All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora, who was also detained ahead of the march, was released early on Saturday after the completion of formalities under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act, according to Delhi Police.
Bora’s detention had triggered questions from student groups and opposition leaders, who sought information about her whereabouts and demanded the release of those held.
The episode followed a similar controversy earlier in the week, when CJP leaders and supporters were detained amid protests against the Election Commission. Opposition parties and student organisations have criticised the repeated preventive actions, arguing that they restrict the ability of young people to protest peacefully.
