CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke, Two Spokespersons Detained at Delhi Airport Ahead of Jantar Mantar Protest
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday. Videos shared by CJP appeared to show police entering their aircraft before passengers disembarked. The action came ahead of a proposed Jantar Mantar protest, while the grounds for the detentions were not immediately disclosed.
New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and party spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday, shortly after their flight landed in the national capital.
The detentions took place amid heightened security arrangements ahead of a proposed CJP demonstration at Jantar Mantar, for which police permission had reportedly not been granted.
Police Enter Aircraft Before Passengers Deboard
According to the information available, Delhi Police personnel entered the aircraft through the boarding staircase before passengers had begun disembarking.
Videos shared on CJP's official X account appeared to show police officers entering the plane to take the party leaders into custody.
In the footage, Dipke questioned the police action and asked why officers had entered the aircraft instead of waiting for passengers to disembark.
He also indicated that he had anticipated the possibility of being detained and had arrived prepared for such an eventuality.
Delhi Police Confirm Detentions
A senior Delhi Police official confirmed that Dipke and the two CJP spokespersons had been detained.
According to the official, police personnel from Delhi's southwest district had been deployed at the airport in connection with the action.
However, the specific grounds for the detentions and whether any formal charges would follow were not immediately disclosed.
Detentions Amid Jantar Mantar Protest Plans
The development comes against the backdrop of CJP's campaign concerning the Election Commission of India and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The organisation has been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar while raising allegations about the electoral-roll revision process.
The proposed Jantar Mantar demonstration has attracted police attention, with permission for the gathering reportedly denied.
The detention of Dipke and his colleagues has added another development to the ongoing dispute between protest organisers and authorities over demonstrations in the national capital.
Further information regarding the legal grounds for the detentions, the status of the three leaders and any subsequent police action was awaited.