Mumbai police files FIR against CJP leaders, supporters over Shivaji Park protest

The Mumbai police denied permission to the CJP’s representative Ajinkya Shinde for organising the protests at Shivaji Park

Prefer HTon Google

The Shivaji Park police registered a case against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Pranav Ahire, Ashutosh Ranka, Ajinkya Shinde, Saurabh Das, Afreen Nawaz, Saumya Korde, Ankit Bharadwaj, Vijay Malangi and Yogesh Ingle, and over 400 of their supporters for gathering illegally and sloganeering in Dadar on Friday.

“We have registered a case against the organisers of CJP protests on October 2 at Shivaji Park. The case has been registered under sections 189 (unlawful assembly) and 223 (disobedience to a public servant’s lawful order) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and section 37 (power to prohibit certain acts for prevention of disorder) and 135 (disobeying or breaking official orders issued by the police) of the Maharashtra Police Act,” said a police officer attached to the Shivaji Park police station.

The Mumbai police denied permission to the CJP’s representative Ajinkya Shinde for organising the protests at Shivaji Park, saying they were not empowered to grant permission for any gathering at the historical ground, in view of the judgment of the Bombay High Court in PIL 116/2009 dated January 4, 2013, and a subsequent order of the Maharashtra government dated January 20, 2016.

Also Read:‘Jantar Mantar 2.0 on October 10 if….’: Dipke’s fresh CJP protest warning against CEC Gyanesh Kumar amid SIR row

In the letter issued to CJP, police cited a 2013 Bombay high court order restricting the use of Shivaji Park for purposes other than sports. Police also said the organisers had not submitted the required BMC permission for using the ground. Citing the area’s residential and silence-zone status, police said the proposed protest could cause noise pollution and severe traffic congestion, potentially affecting access to several hospitals in the area.

The applicant was advised to look for alternate venues in Mumbai for the protest and ask for permission, which will be considered appropriately. However, the movement’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke had threatened a Jail Bharo Andolan on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, said the officer.

Also Read:‘Not just BJP, another party thinks...’: CJP takes dig at ‘total buffoons’, Congress leader hits out

Officer said Dipke was aware that permission had been denied. He himself wrote in a post on X, “Mumbai Police has denied permission for our protest on October 2. Such tactics to suppress citizens’ voices are unacceptable.”

The CJP organised protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar following allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and reports indicating that he had either ignored the opposition of the two election commissioners to certain commission decisions regarding the SIR or kept them in the dark.