Delhi Police restrictions ahead of a proposed protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) drew scrutiny on Sunday after party founder Abhijeet Dipke said he was leaving for Maharashtra following his grandmother’s death, while the police maintained that they had informed him of the funeral and offered assistance for his journey.
Dipke made the remarks after leaving the residence of senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal. He questioned the security restrictions imposed in the capital ahead of the CJP’s planned demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
“The entire Delhi was brought to a standstill to protect Gyanesh Kumar. What is it about Gyanesh Kumar that you inconvenienced millions of people yesterday to protect him?” Dipke said, according to the report. His comments referred to restrictions imposed ahead of the proposed gathering, which the party had described as ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’.
The CJP had sought to hold the protest while demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The allegations have been made by the party and are not established in the supplied report. Delhi Police denied permission for the gathering, citing law-and-order and public-safety concerns.
Dipke said CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das would hold a press conference at 2pm to announce the party’s next course of action following the detention of its leaders and the restrictions imposed ahead of the protest. The report did not specify the duration or geographic extent of the restrictions.
Dipke, Ranka and Das were produced before an executive magistrate on Sunday and released on the condition that they would not “breach peace” for a year. The proceedings followed the detention of the party leaders in connection with the proposed demonstration.
The dispute also involved Dipke’s ability to travel home after the death of his paternal grandmother, Savitribai Shankarrao Dipke, 85. She died in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district on Saturday after a prolonged illness, and her last rites were held on Sunday morning.
A family member told reporters that the Delhi Police had been asked repeatedly to release Dipke so he could attend the funeral, but alleged that he was not released in time. The police gave a different account in a post on X on Saturday, saying Dipke had been immediately informed about the death and the funeral timings. The police also said they had offered all possible facilitation for his journey to his hometown.
The episode places two public authorities’ responsibilities in direct focus: maintaining public order around a proposed demonstration and responding to the personal circumstances of people detained during preventive action. The immediate next step is the press conference announced by the CJP leaders, where the party is expected to state how it will proceed after the denial of permission and the executive magistrate’s order.
