CJP Founder Abhijit Dipke Arrested Ahead of Rally in New Delhi
Abhijit Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Peoples Party, was arrested during a rally in New Delhi and will appear in court soon.
New Delhi, October 17 (Daily Kiran) : Abhijit Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach People’s Party (CJP), was arrested in New Delhi and is set to appear before a SEM court on Saturday. His detention occurred during the CJP’s “Lahra Do Tiranga” rally at Central Park in Connaught Place on Friday.
Ratna Singh, head of CJP’s legal affairs, announced on X that Dipke’s location is currently unknown and that his lawyers have not yet been able to meet with him. This arrest adds to the tension following the detention of two CJP co-organizers, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were taken into judicial custody on October 13. They face charges related to allegedly entering Jantar Mantar and hoisting the national flag, despite the site being “de-notified” for protests just a day before.
This marks the second time in a week that Delhi police have detained Dipke. He was previously taken into custody upon arriving from Mumbai to participate in a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter list manipulation.
Before the rally, Delhi police issued a notice to Dipke, stating that Connaught Place was not an authorized location for protests and that the New Delhi Municipal Council had not granted permission for the planned “Tiranga Yatra.” The notice, issued under Section 163 of the Indian National Security Code (BNSC), warned that marching or gathering crowds would violate the area’s prohibitory orders.
During discussions with police at his residence, Dipke questioned the basis for his arrest, asking, “What charges have you placed against me?” When informed that he could not proceed to New Delhi, he expressed willingness to go elsewhere and inquired about the law he had violated.
Police clarified that while there is no ban on displaying the national flag, organizing a procession without permission and gathering crowds in violation of restrictions could lead to legal consequences. Dipke was also reminded of the regulations concerning the respectful display of the national flag as outlined in the Flag Code.
