Abhijeet Dipke Detained Before March, Neha Bora Picked Up Near Jantar Mantar

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke was on Friday detained from his home, just minutes before he was to undertake a 'Lehra Do Tiranga' rally at Central Park in Connaught Place in Delhi.

This is the second detention in a week for Dipke. He was earlier detained right after his plane landed in Delhi from Mumbai for a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of voter-list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

One of the triggers for the march was the arrest of Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, CJP members, who were sent to five-day judicial custody after they entered Jantar Mantar waving the national flag on October 13, a day after the historic site was denotified as a protest site.

During a conversation with the police, Dipke was told, "Aap New Delhi nahi jaa sakte. Hum aapko detain kar rahe hain (You cannot go to New Delhi. We are detaining you)."

He responded, "New Delhi nahi jaa sakta, kahin aur toh jaa sakta hoon. Maine kaunsa kanoon toda hai (I cannot go to New Delhi, but I can go somewhere else. What law have I broken?)".

Student leader Neha Bora, 29, who is among a number of prominent activists detained this weekend as the authorities cracked down on attempts by protesters led by the Cockroach youth movement, was detained near Jantar Mantar.

Before today's detention, Delhi Police landed at Dipke's home and served him a notice against carrying out the march.

The notice, issued under Section 163 of the BNS, said prohibitory orders were in force around the Connaught Place area, a major shopping hub in the heart of the city. It further warned that the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has not given permission for the proposed Tiranga Yatra, and if the CJP decides to go ahead with the march it would be considered a violation of the law.

Dipke, who was wearing a white tee with a picture of Gandhi on it and denims, was also informed that waving the tiranga was not against the law, but staging an unpermitted march and gathering a crowd would be a violation of restrictions, and the Police would take legal action. The 31-year-old leader was also informed about the restrictions on treating the national flag with due respect in accordance with the Flag Code. 

"Kya aarop laga diya hai aapne mere upar (What kind of accusation have you leveled against me?) Dipke, who has a small national flag draped across his shoulders and seated on an egg-yolk coloured sofa in his living room, is heard asking the cop in front of him, showed a video.

A bunch of papers can be seen on the glass top table as Dipke is examining its contents and reading out bits, confronting the cops.