CJP Leaders Released After Day‑Long Detention, Police Cite ‘Maintain Peace’ Condition

On Sunday morning, the three front‑line faces of the Cockroach Janata Party – Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka – were finally set free after being held for about a day. The release came with a thinly‑veiled reminder from Delhi Police to "maintain peace" as the trio prepares for a mass rally at Jantar Mantar.

The drama began on Saturday when a Delhi Police team, largely made up of women officers, boarded an Air India flight that had just touched down from Mumbai. Passengers watched, some even filmed, as the officers escorted the three leaders off the aircraft. Dipke, ever the showman, allegedly told the police that he had arrived in Delhi ready to be arrested – a line that quickly went viral on social media.

After their on‑the‑spot detention, the three were taken to the Executive Magistrate’s court in Delhi Cantonment. A short hearing later, the magistrate ordered their release, but not without the customary clause urging them not to disturb public order.

Ratna Singh, who heads the CJP’s legal team, posted on X (formerly Twitter) confirming the release. The party’s reaction was predictably flamboyant: "Finally Delhi Police is forced to release Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das. Cockroaches never die," they wrote, mixing triumph with a touch of sarcasm.

Why were they detained in the first place? The CJP has been agitating for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of manipulating voter lists. They had planned a large‑scale protest at Jantar Mantar, but Delhi Police denied permission, citing security concerns. The police’s preventive sweep also saw more than 3,000 people detained across the city – most of whom were let go later.

One of the more high‑profile arrests was that of YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who was picked up from his Gurugram home. He, too, was freed in the early hours of Sunday, around 3 a.m., after spending a few hours in custody.

Undeterred, the CJP has called for a fresh mobilisation at Jantar Mantar at 10 a.m. on Sunday, insisting that the demand for the CEC’s resignation will not be shelved. The All India Students’ Association (AISA) has also thrown its weight behind the call, urging students and supporters to gather peacefully.

Delhi Police, for its part, has deployed extensive security across the capital, ready to intervene if the protest threatens public order. The tension between the authorities and the CJP underscores a wider debate over the limits of dissent and the state’s role in policing political expression.

As the city braces for another day of potential protest, the released leaders will likely keep a close eye on the police’s warning – and perhaps, as Dipke hinted, plan to get "arrested again" if the authorities push back too hard.