Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), was released on Saturday after being granted conditional bail by a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) in Delhi, a day after he was detained while attempting to join the party’s proposed ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march at Connaught Place.
According to Delhi Police, Dipke was released after signing a peace bond. One of the principal conditions of the bail requires him to maintain peace and good behaviour for a period of one year.
Dipke had been detained on Friday shortly after leaving his Jhandewalan residence to participate in the protest march. Police later arrested him in a fresh preventive proceeding, alleging that he had violated a peace bond furnished on October 10 following an earlier detention.
The CJP leader was produced before the SEM court at Mandir Marg Police Station, where the magistrate ordered his release on conditional bail after completion of bond formalities. Reports indicate that he furnished a bond of ₹50,000 as part of the conditions laid down by the court.
Earlier in the day, CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh challenged the legality of Dipke’s arrest, alleging violations of due process and fundamental rights. In posts on X, Singh argued that calling upon citizens to participate in a peaceful demonstration could not be treated as a criminal act and demanded his immediate release.
Delhi Police had invoked prohibitory provisions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), restricting public gatherings in Connaught Place and adjoining areas ahead of the proposed march. Authorities maintained that preventive action was necessary to avoid disruption of public order and traffic movement.
Meanwhile, Anita Dipke, mother of the CJP founder, expressed relief after learning of her son’s release. Speaking to ANI, she said the family had been under tremendous emotional stress since his arrest, especially as they were mourning the recent loss of his grandmother.
The controversy unfolded amid wider demonstrations over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions. Police said around 150 protesters were detained during Friday’s demonstrations and multiple FIRs were registered for violating prohibitory orders.
With Dipke now released, attention has shifted to other detained CJP leaders Saurav and Ashutosh and the party’s next course of action as the political confrontation over the protests continues.
