CJP's Abhijeet Dipke released after signing Rs 50,000 'peace bond' on court orders

Dipke had been detained and subsequently arrested a day earlier as he prepared to travel to Connaught Place for a planned ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march amid protests over alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

He walked out of Mandir Marg police station shortly after appearing before a magistrate.

In his first reaction following his release, Dipke shared a photograph on X of Shah Rukh Khan’s character in the 2004 film Veer-Zaara, depicting him in tears after being freed from a Pakistani prison following 22 years.

He captioned the post: “How it feels walking out of jail after 24 hours with no wifi and phone.”

Dipke detained ahead of Tiranga March

Delhi Police said Dipke and All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora were taken into preventive custody on Friday ahead of the proposed march at Connaught Place.

The demonstration was intended to feature the national flag, although smaller marches involving students and other participants took place despite the restrictions.

Police released Bora early on Saturday after completing the formalities associated with her detention under the Delhi Police Act.

Dipke, however, was formally arrested in a separate case relating to an alleged breach of peace under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

Police said Dipke was produced before a Special Executive Magistrate, who ordered his conditional release.

The latest action followed an earlier incident on October 10, when police detained Dipke inside an aircraft at Delhi airport.

A separate breach-of-peace case was registered on that occasion, and he was required to sign a bond undertaking not to disturb public order for one year.

AISA president criticises police

After her release, Bora criticised the Delhi Police and the BJP-led government at the Centre, describing the detentions as illegal.

She also demanded an end to the SIR exercise, called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and sought his arrest.

“I was detained at Mandi House and kept here (at the police station) the whole night, until 5 am. Why are you (police) carrying out these illegal detentions? These things have been happening in this country for a long time, and this protest movement has clearly shown that such detentions are taking place. It has brought these kinds of detentions to light. They claim that they adhere to law and order and go by the book, but none of that is happening,” Bora told news agency PTI.

The AISA president also called for the immediate release of all protesters who had been detained or arrested, including Dipke.

CJP leaders remain in judicial custody

CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das remain in judicial custody in a case linked to alleged trespass at Jantar Mantar, which was denotified as a protest venue shortly before the incident.

The arrests and detentions have taken place amid protests by opposition parties, student groups and CJP over the SIR exercise.

Demonstrators have also demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

The Election Commission has maintained that its decisions relating to the revision exercise have received judicial approval.

Meanwhile, the BJP has described the recent wave of protests involving opposition groups, CJP and student organisations as “foreign-funded” and alleged that they are attempts to spread anarchy.

Security tightened around Connaught Place

Delhi Police said around 150 people were detained on Friday as officers sought to maintain law and order and ensure smooth traffic movement during the planned demonstrations.

Security personnel cordoned off Central Park in Connaught Place, while Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed inside the area and additional forces were stationed nearby.

The security arrangements came ahead of the proposed ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march, which had been planned amid the wider protests over electoral rolls and allegations of irregularities in the SIR process.