Parents of CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke Blast Delhi Police Over Funeral Detention

When Abhijeet Dipke’s 85‑year‑old grandmother, Savitribai Shankarrao Dipke, passed away in their native village of Santuk Pimpri, Maharashtra, the family expected the son‑in‑law‑politician to rush home for the last rites.

Instead, the CJP founder was picked up at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Oct 10, 2026, along with two fellow party leaders, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. They had flown in from Mumbai to join a planned protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged roll‑revision irregularities.

Delhi police detained the trio almost immediately. The authorities say they informed Dipke of his grandmother’s death and even offered assistance for a quick trip back. The family, however, says their pleas for a swift release fell on deaf ears.

“If the police had let him go—or at least released him on the condition that he would return to Delhi after the funeral—he could have said his good‑byes,” said Bhagwan Dipke, the father, speaking from Hingoli. He added that he saw on Instagram that his son had already reached Nagpur, implying that the delay was unnecessary.

Anita Dipke, the mother, echoed the sentiment. “He was supposed to leave Mumbai last night and head straight here. They should have let him travel first; it would have eased our grief,” she said, clearly frustrated.

While the funeral rites were carried out on the morning of Oct 11, Dipke remained in custody. He was finally released later that day and, according to reports, caught a flight back to Maharashtra to be with his family.

The incident has sparked a broader debate about police discretion in political detentions, especially when family emergencies collide with law‑enforcement actions. Critics argue that a touch of compassion—especially in moments of loss—could have prevented the public outcry.

Delhi Police have not commented further on the specific timing of the release, leaving the Dipke family and supporters to wonder whether a more humane approach might have been possible.