Tiranga march in Delhi: CJP chief Abhijeet Dipke’s whereabouts unknown, Neha Bora at RK Puram police station | Today’s news
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Friday said the whereabouts of its founder Abhijeet Dipke remained unknown following his detention by the Delhi Police, while the All India Students’ Association (AISA) said its president Neha Bora was traced to the RK Puram police station after hours of uncertainty over her whereabouts.
The detention came ahead of the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protests called by the CJP against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and voters’ lists.
AISA claimed that Bora was being moved between several places in Delhi for about five hours before she was traced to the RK Puram police station. The organization further alleged that lawyers who arrived at the police station around midnight were not allowed to meet her and that the police refused to provide her with medication despite knowing that he had been unwell for several days.
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They were detained outside CJP’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest in central Delhi. Police said restrictions were in place in Connaught Place, while the CJP and AISA said activists were on their way to join the protest.
AISA said Bora was traced to RK Puram police station after he was transferred between places in Delhi. The organization also said lawyers who went there were not allowed to meet with it.
The CJP said that Dipke was taken to an unknown location and that the party members had lost contact with him. The party asked the Delhi Police to disclose his whereabouts and the reasons for his detention.
Citing bans under Section 163 of the BNSS in Connaught Place, the police said the march had not been given permission. Central Park was also closed to the public on October 16 and 17.
Delhi Police said around 150 people were detained as part of efforts to maintain law and order and ensure smooth flow of traffic.
“Why is Delhi police keeping Neha in the police station till midnight? When will Neha be released? Why is a student leader being put in the police station at midnight?” AISA asked.
CJP is seeking information about Dipke’s whereabouts
The CJP claimed that Dipke had been taken to an unknown location and that party members had lost contact with him. He also claimed that he was not allowed to speak to lawyers.
“Delhi Police has taken Abhijeet Dipke to an unknown location. We have lost contact with him. He is not allowed to speak to lawyers,” the party said in a post on X.
“Abhijeet was just coming out of his house with a Tiranga in his hand! How can walking with a Tiranga be a crime?” he asked, adding that the detention would not deter people from joining the protests.
The party has also written to the house officer of Mandir Marg police station, seeking information about Dipke’s whereabouts and the legal provisions applicable to his preventive detention.
In the letter, CJP leader Rohan Deshpande said the party had not received any information about the police station or facility where Dipke was detained.
He urged the Delhi Police to release Dipke’s whereabouts, the reasons for his detention and the identity of the officer responsible for his detention. The party also demanded assurances that it would be able to contact colleagues and obtain legal counsel.
Political leaders question the police over the detention of Neh Bor
CPI(ML) Liberation said in a statement on Friday evening that Bora was initially taken to a facility of the anti-narcotics unit in the South-West district before being shifted elsewhere. The party said it had deployed a legal team to monitor her detention and demanded the release of Bora, Dipke and other detained protesters.
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas he said an AISA representative informed him that Bora was picked up at Mandi House while he was traveling to join the protest.
“She was taken alone, without her phone, her whereabouts are now unknown,” Brittas said in a post on X.
“Detention cannot become a disappearance. The Delhi Police must disclose Neha’s whereabouts, ensure her access to her family, friends and associates. Moreover, the police should explain the reasons for her detention,” he added.
Legal Head CJP Ratna Singh he also demanded that the police release the whereabouts and legal status of the two activists and inform their families and lawyers.
Police sources said Dipke was nabbed at Jhandewalan on his way to Connaught Place, while Bora was nabbed at Mandi House.
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More than 150 detained as protests spread across central Delhi
Delhi Police said around 150 people were detained as part of efforts to maintain law and order and ensure smooth movement of traffic. Security personnel cordoned off Central Park in Connaught Place, with Rapid Response Force personnel deployed inside and other forces deployed in the area. Central Park was closed for two days due to heavy barricades and the deployment of security personnel.
Despite the police denying permission for the CJP’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march at Connaught Place, hundreds of party supporters and student activists staged flash protests in central Delhi on Friday evening. Carrying the national flag and raising “Jai Hind” slogans, the protesters marched through parts of Connaught Place before disbanding and regrouping at different locations. Some even sang the national anthem.
Meanwhile, members of AISA and Left parties demonstrated near Mandi House demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, cancellation of Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls and withdrawal of the Election Commissioner Appointment Act 2023.
The CJP called the march after party activists Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were sent to five-day judicial custody for allegedly trespassing at Jantar Mantar, which had been designated as a designated site for protests.
According to a police statement, the action followed an incident on the morning of October 13 when three activists and 11 other CJP members allegedly entered the marked Jantar Mantar protest site through private premises.
Read also | Salman Rushdie backs CJP protesters, Mira Nair calls herself ‘cockroach mom’
