Delhi Police detained Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) chief and national coordinator Abhijeet Deepke, along with co-coordinator Ashutosh Ranka and Saurabh Das, after their flight from Mumbai landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The leaders were stopped inside the aircraft before they could leave for a planned demonstration.

Police officers and personnel entered the plane after it landed. Female police officers were positioned at the front as the CJP leaders were asked to leave. Deepke was seen holding a phone and appeared to seek time to send a message before joining the officers.

Deepke folded his hands while asking for a brief delay. He did not resist and told the officers, “I have come to be arrested; you can arrest me.” The police then took him and the other leaders into custody.

Detentions before the planned protest

The CJP leaders had travelled to Mumbai after a demonstration in Bengaluru on 8 October. They took a flight to Delhi on Saturday morning, with the planned protest at Jantar Mantar forming the next stage of their campaign.

Delhi Police had already detained CJP legal head Ratna Singh before taking Deepke, Ranka and Das into custody. The report also states that Germany-based YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was taken from his home in Gurugram.

As a result, nearly all of the organisation's senior leaders had been detained before they could reach the protest venue. The detentions took place amid heightened security arrangements across the capital.

What the CJP wanted to protest

The CJP had announced a demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The organisation alleged irregularities in the SIR process and demanded Kumar's resignation.

The group also sought a criminal case against Kumar and called for the SIR process to be halted. Another demand was a change in the appointment process for election commissioners, including participation from civil society.

These demands were to be raised at Jantar Mantar. The reported detentions prevented the detained CJP leaders from travelling to the venue as planned.

Security tightened across Delhi

Security arrangements in Delhi had been strengthened from Friday. Thousands of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh police personnel, along with central forces, were deployed for law-and-order duties.

Police maintained tighter checks at Delhi's borders. The report also states that Delhi Police detained hundreds of protesters in different parts of the capital from the morning.

Conclusion

The CJP's senior leaders were detained at different locations before the planned Jantar Mantar demonstration, while police maintained heightened security across Delhi. The organisation's stated demands included action against the Chief Election Commissioner, a halt to the SIR process and changes to the appointment system for election commissioners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who was detained inside the aircraft?

CJP chief Abhijeet Deepke, co-coordinator Ashutosh Ranka and Saurabh Das were detained after their flight landed in Delhi.

Q. Where did the flight arrive?

The flight arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi after travelling from Mumbai.

Q. What protest had the CJP planned?

The CJP had planned a demonstration at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Q. What were the organisation's main demands?

The CJP sought Kumar's resignation, a criminal case against him, a halt to the SIR process and changes to the appointment process for election commissioners.

Q. Who else was detained according to the report?

CJP legal head Ratna Singh was detained earlier. The report also states that YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was taken from his home in Gurugram.