CJP Legal Head Slams 'Unlawful' Arrest of Abhijeet Dipke
Ratna Singh urges the SEM Court to release CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, claiming his arrest for a Tiranga Yatra was unlawful.
The legal battle over the detention of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has intensified, as the party's legal affairs head, Ratna Singh, has formally approached the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) Court in Delhi to challenge the arrest and demand his immediate release.
Allegations of Due Process Violations
Representing Dipke, Ratna Singh has raised serious concerns regarding the manner of the arrest, alleging that fundamental rights and legal protocols were blatantly ignored. According to Singh, Dipke was apprehended from outside his residence, and the authorities failed to disclose his location, which effectively blocked his legal counsel from accessing him.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Singh questioned the logic behind the detention, arguing that the act of encouraging citizens to hoist the national flag cannot be categorized as a criminal offense. She urged the SEM Court to intervene, stating that the arrest is entirely unlawful given that Dipke merely urged people to unfurl the Tiranga.
The Police Version: 'Preventive Arrest'
The Delhi Police, however, have defended the move as a "preventive arrest." The action followed a flag march conducted in the national capital on Friday, October 16, 2026. Authorities have invoked Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), claiming the arrest was necessary to prevent a potential breach of peace.
According to the police, Dipke proceeded with a "Tiranga Yatra" rally despite being notified that Connaught Place was not a designated area for protests and that the necessary permissions from the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had not been obtained.
A Wave of Detentions
The arrest of Abhijeet Dipke is not an isolated incident but part of a larger crackdown involving the CJP, various student organizations, and opposition groups. These groups have been protesting alleged irregularities in elections and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The tension has led to several other high-profile detentions:
- Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka: The CJP co-convenors were arrested for unfurling the national flag at Jantar Mantar and were remanded to five days of judicial custody on October 13.
- Neha Bora: The president of the All India Students' Association was also detained during the demonstrations, though she was released after 12 hours under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act.
As the SEM Court reviews the plea filed by Ratna Singh, the situation remains a flashpoint between the CJP's claims of patriotic expression and the Delhi Police's mandate to maintain public order.