Detentions continue in Delhi despite Supreme Court order, 100 held from Connaught Place

Delhi Police on Sunday continued to detain protesters, including CPI(M) leader John Brittas, around Connaught Place as groups returned to renew their demonstrations against chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, even as the Supreme Court ordered that peaceful, unarmed protesters cannot be detained except through the “procedure established by law”.

About 100 protesters were packed into two buses and removed from the area.

A special bench of justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued the directions after an urgent hearing on petitions alleging mass detentions, restrictions on movement, suspension of internet services and non-compliance with the court’s October 9 order on transport curbs ahead of Saturday’s protest against Kumar.

The court also directed that metro and railway services in Delhi operate normally, internet connectivity remain undisturbed and free movement of people be restored. It ordered authorities to remove a notice imposing prohibitory restrictions around the Supreme Court and other court complexes to ensure unhindered “access to justice”.

Brittas told reporters the police’s conduct was a flagrant violation of the basic rules. “Brute force has been used against people who were protesting peacefully. No matter how hard they try to break this agitation, it will only grow by leaps and bounds, and we will continue to protest peacefully. This will only push the protest to greater heights. Just think about the police rushing into an aircraft to take Abhijit Dipke and others into custody. What was the hurry to board an aircraft? Are those people hijackers? This is a violation of basic rules of civil aviation,” he said.

One of the detained persons, who sought anonymity, told HT that he was peacefully standing in the area. “I would have also been beaten if I was alone. I was just standing there near the protest. Even if they are protesting, it is their right. Why are they being detained and beaten up,” the person said.

Delhi Police have registered more than 20 first information reports (FIRs) over attempts to hold a protest in the Capital on Saturday despite restrictions imposed by the force, senior officers said. More than 20 FIRs have also been registered over alleged attacks on police personnel during the demonstrations, with police citing attempts to disrupt law and order and obstruct government officials from performing their duties, an officer said.

Ratna Singh, legal affairs head of CJP, said the “fact that this even has to be brought before the Supreme Court is telling. After what happened yesterday, we must ask why the state machinery is being directed to infringe fundamental rights left, right and centre.”