A volunteer network of lawyers has been working around the clock to track protesters detained across Delhi, connect them with legal assistance and document complaints amid a large-scale police crackdown linked to protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The network, led by independent lawyers and now comprising more than 70 to 80 members across Delhi-NCR and several states, has developed a rapid-response system to locate detainees and send lawyers to detention centres.
The effort intensified after distress calls emerged from different parts of the Capital. In one incident on Sunday night, lawyers were alerted that around 30 to 40 people, including five or six minors and some people who claimed to be injured, were being held in Najafgarh.
Within minutes, lawyers near the area were identified and dispatched to assist.
“We basically worked on creating a rapid response system for the fraternity,” said Delhi-based independent litigator Shobhit Chaudhary.
Lawyers Create Rapid-Response Network
Chaudhary said he began helping detainees during protests in July, initially working alone before other independent lawyers joined the effort.
The network now includes lawyers from Delhi-NCR, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Assam. Rather than operating as a formal organisation, it functions as a chain of lawyers who can quickly connect people in distress with legal professionals located near detention sites.
“It is more like a message delivery mechanism, where we can find out which lawyers are near the area,” Chaudhary said.
The network uses WhatsApp and Instagram to circulate emergency contact numbers and instructions for protesters who are detained or witness someone else being detained.
SOPs for Protesters and Detainees
The lawyers have prepared basic protocols for protesters.
Those who are detained are advised to share their live location in the protest groups they are part of, along with their name and the number of people travelling in the vehicle.
Witnesses to detentions are advised to record the police vehicle, if possible, and note its registration number.
The aim is to create a record of where people were detained and help lawyers identify the appropriate police station or detention facility.
Lawyers Record Complaints of Alleged Misconduct
According to Chaudhary, accounts received by the network present a mixed picture, with several detainees alleging aggression and injuries during the detention process.
He said some detainees claimed they were picked up before reaching the protest site or outside areas where prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita were in force.
These claims are allegations made by detainees and have not been independently established.
Chaudhary also cited accounts of people allegedly going without food for extended periods. In one case, he said a group of around 20 to 22 young men who had travelled to Delhi for the protest were detained near Anand Vihar and held in a building. He alleged they were given bananas but no other food until around 2.30 pm, while their phones were taken away.
The network also reported finding minors at a detention centre in outer Delhi and said some released detainees had injuries.
Protocol for Lawyers at Release
The volunteer network has also developed a procedure for lawyers who are present when detainees are released.
Lawyers are instructed to ensure that a Medico-Legal Certificate is prepared if an injury is reported. If a detainee has a grievance, the lawyer is advised to submit a handwritten complaint to the station house officer and obtain an acknowledgement.
If the SHO refuses to accept the complaint, lawyers are instructed to photograph the complaint at the police station and email it to the station, with a copy to Delhi Police headquarters.
The objective, Chaudhary said, is to ensure that complaints are formally documented.
“So that there is a record of these things happening,” he said.
Supreme Court Steps In
The legal volunteers said access to detainees was among the biggest challenges during the initial phase of the crackdown.
According to Chaudhary, lawyers were allegedly prevented from meeting some detainees, while some lawyers attempting to provide assistance were themselves detained.
The situation improved after the Supreme Court held a special sitting on Sunday and directed that peaceful, unarmed protesters should not be detained except according to the procedure established by law. The court also ordered restoration of normal metro and rail services and internet connectivity.
Despite the intervention, detentions continued in different parts of Delhi.
Around 100 people, including All India Students’ Association president Neha Bora and CPI(M) lawmaker John Brittas, were reportedly detained near Connaught Place on Sunday evening.
‘This Cannot Be Forgotten’
Chaudhary said senior lawyers have now become involved in the matter and indicated that the issue could reach the courts, with questions expected to be raised with Delhi Police and the Union home ministry.
“This cannot be forgotten,” he said. “If this is a problem today, it will be a problem tomorrow or the day after.”
The lawyers’ network is continuing to track detainees, document complaints and provide legal assistance as protests and detentions continue across the Capital.
