Dipke held under preventive detention, to be produced before court; Neha Bora released

Bora was released late Friday, while action under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was initiated against Dipke

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Saturday said that Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora were detained under preventive provisions on the evening of October 16.While Bora was subsequently released early Saturday, Dipke is set to be produced before a special executive magistrate (SEM) court.According to Delhi Police, Bora was released after formal procedures under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act, while action under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was initiated against Dipke.

Police sources told news agency PTI that Dipke was detained from Jhandewalan while he was on his way to Connaught Place to attend the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' protest on Friday evening.Meanwhile, CJP had alleged that Dipke was "kidnapped" by the police, claiming that his family, lawyers and party members had been unable to establish contact with him for more than 10 hours after his detention.In a post on X, the party said it had received no information about his whereabouts since he was picked up ahead of the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' protest."The Delhi Police has taken Abhijeet Dipke to an undisclosed location.

We have lost contact with him. He is not being allowed to talk to lawyers," CJP said in an earlier post.The party also wrote to the station house officer of Mandir Marg police station, seeking details of Dipke's whereabouts, the legal provisions invoked against him and the grounds for his preventive detention. CJP leader Rohan Deshpande urged the police to disclose who had ordered the detention and ensure Dipke had access to legal counsel.

Bora's whereabouts had also remained uncertain for several hours. AISA later said its lawyers had traced her to the RK Puram police station around midnight, alleging that she had been moved between locations across Delhi.CPI(ML) Liberation demanded the immediate release of Dipke, Bora and other detained protesters, while CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas called on the police to disclose the location of those detained and explain the grounds for their detention.Police said around 150 people had been detained to maintain law and order and ensure smooth traffic movement.