Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke granted bail, to be released after signing peace bond
Delhi Police said the SEM court granted bail to Dipke, detained on Friday ahead of a Connaught Place rally, and he will be freed once he signs a peace bond.
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Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, has been granted bail, Delhi Police said. According to the police, he will be released soon, but only after he meets one condition: he must sign a peace bond.
Delhi Police said the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court has granted Dipke bail. The police said he would be let go as soon as the peace bond is signed.
Police had detained Dipke on Friday. A "Lehra Do Tiranga" rally had been planned in Delhi, and police detained him to stop him from leading it. The rally was to be held at Central Park in the Connaught Place area of New Delhi. To restrict public gatherings, the administration had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
The detention was challenged by Ratna Singh, legal head of the CJP, who demanded that the SEM court order Dipke's immediate release. In a social media post, Singh asked how appealing to citizens to join a peaceful national movement could be a crime. She said Dipke had only appealed to people to hoist the tricolour.
Singh also alleged that Dipke was detained from outside his home, that his whereabouts were not disclosed in time and that lawyers were not able to meet him. According to her, this raises serious questions about fundamental rights and adherence to legal process.
This came at a time when protests are under way across the country. The protests are against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged irregularities in the electoral process. Opposition parties, constituents of the INDIA bloc and student organisations are also agitating on the issue.
According to Delhi Police, about 150 protesters have been detained for gathering in violation of the prohibitory orders, and some FIRs have been registered. Separate preventive action was also taken against Dipke under Sections 126 and 170 of the BNSS.
The CJP has objected to the police action. The final outcome on the legal validity of the detention and the allegations linked to it will be clear only after court proceedings.
