Delhi Police releases detained CJP leaders ahead of Jantar Mantar protest

Delhi Police have released several detained leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party, including Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, and Saurav Das, following a high-stakes weekend of demonstrations, transit shutdowns, and legal battles. The releases arrive alongside a rare Sunday sitting of the Supreme Court to evaluate contempt proceedings and challenges against preventive detentions.

The unrest stems from CJP-led protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. According to Livemint, the released CJP leaders were produced before an executive magistrate at the Delhi Cantt Police Station, where a surety bail bond of ₹50,000 was filed for maintaining peace and good behavior for a period of one year. Advocate Soutik Banerjee confirmed their release, while the official CJP X account celebrated the development by posting strength slogans.

Media additions

The legal fallout extended to the highest court in the country. As reported by Thedailyjagran, a special bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana convened on Sunday to examine a contempt petition filed by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi through advocate Chand Qureshi. The petition arrayed Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Chairperson D Thara as respondents. The application alleged wilful disobedience of the Supreme Court's October 9 directive, which stipulated that authorities could regulate crowds but could not impose a complete prohibition on essential public transportation.

According to Republicworld, the bench also heard a habeas corpus petition filed by Senior Advocate and Trinamool Congress MP Menaka Guruswamy. That petition challenged the preventive detention of opposition figures—including former chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Manik Sarkar—who were intercepted while attempting to join the demonstrations.

Concurrently, Business Today reported that roughly 3,000 individuals had been detained across various points in Delhi during the initial crackdown.

Public transport conditions fluctuated amid conflicting advisories. While the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation reopened station gates on Sunday, Hindustan Times reported that internet suspensions were enforced within 500 metres of at least eight temporary detention sites on Saturday. Furthermore, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta criticized the protests in a statement on X, alleging that demonstrators deliberately provoked security personnel and created public disorder, as highlighted by The Tribune.

What to Watch Next

• Supreme Court Adjudication: The bench of Justices Bagchi and Mohana is expected to issue further orders regarding the contempt petition against transport and home ministry officials, alongside the habeas corpus pleas.
• Opposition Rallies: INDIA bloc parties have scheduled additional protests and press conferences, with scheduled demonstrations in Mumbai and Delhi.
• Transport and Communication Status: Commuters are advised to monitor official advisories from the Delhi Traffic Police and DMRC for any renewed restrictions as public gatherings persist.

Readers can follow ongoing developments across the capital via our dedicated Transport coverage.