CJP Leaders Released, Dhruv Rathee Warned; Ex-Bengaluru Top Cop Flags YouTuber’s Citizenship Status

New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were released on Sunday, a day after Delhi Police detained them ahead of their planned protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar. Meanwhile, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has also been released, with police warning him against joining the agitation again. Separately, former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao has sought verification of Rathee's citizenship and immigration status.

The developments come amid a political confrontation over the police action against protesters on Saturday, when opposition leaders and activists were detained across the national capital during the CJP-led agitation seeking Kumar's resignation over alleged discrepancies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

CJP Leaders Released After Production Before Executive Magistrate

The three CJP leaders were produced before an executive magistrate at Delhi Cantt Police Station on Sunday following their preventive arrests. According to Delhi Police, they were booked under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, relating to security for keeping the peace and arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences.

CJP's legal affairs head Ratna Singh confirmed their release in a post on X, writing, “Executive Magistrate court releases Abhijeet, Saurav and Ashutosh.” Advocate Soutik Banerjee also confirmed the development, saying, “All three (Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, and Saurav Das) have been released. They can go from here.” The party welcomed the release in a social media post, declaring, “Cockroaches never die.”

Dipke had earlier shared a video on Instagram alleging that Delhi Police personnel entered the aircraft after it landed in the national capital and detained him and his associates as they were about to disembark.

"So, you can see that the Delhi Police are entering the plane to arrest us. They are all entering the plane. We just landed. All the Delhi Police officers are standing in the aisle. They are trying to arrest us from inside the plane. The entire Delhi Police is getting on the plane. This is the fear of Narendra Modi...Not even Indira Gandhi did this during the Emergency. All we wanted to do was a peaceful protest, and they are picking us up from the flight like we are criminals," Dipke alleged in the video.

The CJP had planned the October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar over alleged discrepancies in the SIR exercise and to demand Kumar's resignation. However, police denied permission for the gathering and detained protesters as security arrangements were tightened across Delhi.

Dhruv Rathee Released, Warned Against Joining Protest Again

YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who was taken into custody from his home in Sector 56, Gurugram, was freed later on Saturday night. Police officials mentioned that he had been told not to go back to Jantar Mantar to take part in the CJP protest again, and there could be new steps taken if he did. 

Rathee, who lives in Germany and often speaks out against the Narendra Modi government, came to Delhi to join the protest against the CEC. While many protesters and opposition leaders were let go on Saturday night, Rathee stayed in custody until he was released later that same night. 

His arrest has also raised questions about his nationality and where he is allowed to live. 

Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao has sent a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs asking them to check Rathee's citizenship, immigration status, and whether they are following the visa rules. 

In his letter, Rao said, "The main question that needs to be looked at is whether a foreign national, who is in India under a specific visa, immigration permission, or another legal status, has the right to take part in, speak at, or otherwise be involved in a planned political protest about how India's constitutional and legal systems are working." 

Rao has also asked to check if Rathee was allowed to take part in and speak at the protest according to the immigration and visa rules and if he needed permission or approval before doing so. 

He mentioned that if there was any breaking of the Foreigners Act, 1946, visa terms, immigration rules, OCI guidelines, or other relevant laws, the right steps should be taken as per the law. The letter asks for confirmation, and on its own, doesn't prove that Rathee broke any rules.

Political Row Continues Over Saturday's Detentions

The release of the CJP leaders and Rathee happens at a time when many people are being detained, and there are claims that the right to protest is being restricted. 

Several opposition leaders were arrested on Saturday, including AAP's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and CPI(M) leader MA Baby. Manik Sarkar, who once served as the Chief Minister of Tripura, was also one of the people who were arrested. Rathee was one of the other well-known individuals arrested by the police. 

The detentions faced backlash from INDIA bloc leaders, and the BJP blamed Rahul Gandhi and other opposition parties for trying to create chaos in Delhi, saying they were acting on orders from foreign countries. 

Delhi Police has filed over 20 separate FIRs related to efforts to stage a protest by force on October 10. The cases include claims of causing trouble that affects public safety, blocking government operations, and attacking police officers. The police mentioned that four individuals were arrested in relation to the incident. 

A different legal issue arose when Ratna Singh went to a court in Delhi to ask for the registration of an FIR or a non-cognisable report against some police officers. She claimed that she had been illegally held and stopped from joining the protest. The court rejected her request on Saturday, saying it couldn't be accepted because it didn't include the right legal statement and didn't name a particular public official who was accused. 

The detentions also got a reaction from the United Nations. India said the UN's action was not needed, and the Ministry of External Affairs said, "As in every democracy, Indian citizens exercise this right subject to the maintenance of public order and safety. Our law enforcement authorities act strictly in accordance with the law, and our courts remain available to all for the redressal of any grievances."