The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Saturday alleged that the whereabouts of its activist Abhijeet Dipke remained unknown more than eight hours after his detention, claiming that neither his lawyers nor his team had been informed about the grounds for taking him into custody.
Delhi Police said action under Sections 126/170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) had been initiated against Dipke and that he would be produced before the SEM court.
CJP national organisation in-charge Ajinkya Shinde said party representatives visited Parliament Street Police Station to inquire about Dipke but were told that he was not there.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Shinde said the party had been unable to establish contact with Dipke or determine the grounds for his detention.
“It has been more than eight hours since he (Abhijeet Dipke) was detained, yet we still do not know his whereabouts. They are not letting him speak to either a lawyer or our team. We have been unable to ascertain the grounds for his detention”, Shinde said.
He added that the police had advised the party to approach the police station with jurisdiction over the area where Dipke had been detained.
“We were told that they could not provide any information. They suggested that we inquire at the police station corresponding to the area where he was detained. They did confirm that he is not at the Parliament Police Station”, Shinde said.
Delhi Police says Dipke will be produced before SEM court
In a statement, Delhi Police said AISA national president Neha Bora and activist Abhijeet Dipke were detained under preventive provisions on the evening of October 16.
Bora was subsequently released after formal procedures under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act, while action under Sections 126/170 of the BNSS was initiated against Dipke. Police said he would be produced before the SEM court.
NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) spokesperson calls for release
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) spokesperson Anish Gawande called for Dipke’s immediate release, alleging that neither his family nor his legal representatives had been informed about his whereabouts or the reasons for his detention.
Gawande suggested that Dipke might have been placed under preventive detention, arguing that he had not violated any law that would justify his arrest.
“Under section 163, Abhijeet Dipke was not violating any law of the land. Therefore, there can be no predicate offence made out for an arrest, nor any violations of his bail and bond conditions.
Therefore, we believe he might currently be in preventive detention”, Gawande said.
He said the party hoped Dipke would be released soon and warned that it would escalate the matter if he remained in detention.
Gawande also alleged that the Delhi Police had failed to establish a channel of communication with Dipke’s team and lawyers, leaving them without information about his location, the grounds for his detention or how long he might be held.
“We have not been told why he was taken into custody, where he is being held, or how long he is expected to remain in detention”, he said.
Defending Dipke’s actions before his detention, Gawande said carrying the national flag was not a crime. He alleged that Dipke had been walking with the Tricolour when the police took him into custody.
“Waving the tricolour is not a crime; he was simply walking along, carrying the tricolour, when he was picked up. He had told the police that if they did not want him to proceed, they could suggest an alternative location. No such alternative was provided; instead, he was simply detained”, Gawande said.
Detentions ahead of CJP’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest
Dipke was detained on Friday ahead of the CJP’s planned “Lehra Do Tiranga” protest at Central Park in Connaught Place.
Police placed him under preventive detention at his residence in New Delhi, invoking prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS. CJP representatives alleged that he was taken to an undisclosed location without immediate access to lawyers.
The CJP had called the march to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and voter lists.
Over 150 demonstrators detained
Several student and political activists were detained during the demonstrations, including AISA national president Neha Bora, who was detained near Mandi House. More than 150 demonstrators were also taken into custody.
Central Park was closed for two days as security was tightened in the area. Heavy barricading was put in place, and paramilitary forces were deployed amid heightened security arrangements.
