New Delhi, Saturday: A dramatic scene unfolded at Delhi airport after a team of Delhi Police officers boarded an Air India flight and detained Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke shortly after the aircraft landed on Saturday morning. The incident occurred ahead of the party's planned protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Dipke broadcast the incident live on Instagram, sharing footage of police personnel entering the aircraft. CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were also detained from inside the plane, according to the report.
The video showed a heated exchange between the party members and police officers. The CJP leaders questioned why the police had not waited for them to exit the aircraft before taking action. Dipke was seen challenging the officers, arguing that they could have waited until the passengers had deboarded and asserting that the group was not afraid of arrest.
Following the detention, police personnel escorted Dipke, Das and Ranka away from the airport to an undisclosed location.
CJP Condemns Detention of Its Leaders
In a statement, the Cockroach Janta Party strongly criticised the detention of its founder and two other members, describing the action as authoritarian. The party alleged that the police intervention was intended to prevent its leadership from reaching the protest venue.
The CJP also questioned the manner in which its members were detained and called for their immediate and unconditional release. The party described the incident as an alleged violation of freedom of movement and an attempt to disrupt its planned peaceful demonstration.
Dhruv Rathee and Ratna Singh Reportedly Detained
According to the report, the police action was not limited to the airport. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and Ratna Singh, head of the CJP legal cell, were also detained at their respective residences earlier that morning, reportedly to prevent them from joining the demonstration.
In a separate development, Delhi Police reportedly detained more than 400 suspected protesters from different parts of the national capital overnight.
Delhi Police Had Denied Permission for Jantar Mantar Protest
The detentions came a day after Delhi Police refused permission for the CJP's proposed protest at Jantar Mantar. According to the police, the organisers had not submitted their request for permission sufficiently in advance.
The incident has brought renewed attention to the planned demonstration and the circumstances surrounding the detention of its organisers. The CJP has alleged that the action prevented its leaders from participating in the protest before they could reach the venue.
Note: This report is based on the information provided. Further official confirmation regarding the detentions and the current status of those taken into custody was not included in the source material.