India Movement/Neha Bora released, Dipke to send court
All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora has accused Delhi Police of treating protesters like criminals and questioned the legal basis for prolonged detentions after her release from custody following Friday’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ demonstrations in the national capital.
Bora was released on Saturday after police completed formalities under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act.
However, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, who was also detained ahead of the protests, remains under preventive arrest and is expected to be produced before a special executive magistrate.
The contrasting developments have intensified questions raised by student organisations, opposition leaders and lawyers over police action during demonstrations against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
‘By what law?’: Bora questions police detentions
Speaking to ANI after her release, Bora alleged that protesters were being detained for extended periods without adequate explanation or access to legal assistance.
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“Law and order are being flouted in every possible way. Ordinary citizens are treated as if they were hardened criminals, a practice that has persisted in this country for a long time,” she said.
Bora questioned why people detained during demonstrations were allegedly kept in custody overnight and released only the following morning or evening.
“Under what authority is this justified? By what law or order is it permissible to keep detainees held in custody all night long?” she asked.
She also accused police of initially preventing her from consulting a lawyer and claimed her legal representatives had to make repeated attempts to contact her.
According to Bora, her lawyers spent five to six hours trying to gain access before they were eventually allowed to meet her.
Her allegations echoed concerns raised by her legal team while she was in custody.
Advocate Supantha Sinha, who represents Bora, alleged that she was detained at around 5 pm on Friday but that her lawyers learnt of her location only around 10.30 pm.
Sinha also claimed that police personnel remained present during their meeting with Bora and did not permit a private consultation.
Another lawyer, Aditya Krishna, alleged that authorities had failed to provide adequate information about the grounds for her detention or whether any formal charges had been registered.
Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Annie Raja, who visited Parliament Street Police Station along with lawyers, also criticised the alleged lack of information about Bora’s whereabouts.
Bora subsequently renewed her demand for action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for the suspension of the electoral roll revision exercise.
Dipke faces magistrate as CJP questions arrest
While Bora has been released, Delhi Police have initiated fresh preventive proceedings against Dipke under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
According to police, the action followed concerns over a possible breach of peace in connection with Friday’s demonstration.
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Dipke is expected to be produced before a special executive magistrate, who will determine the next course of action.
The fresh proceedings are separate from an earlier preventive case registered against Dipke on October 10, in which he was required to execute a bond to maintain peace for one year.
CJP representatives, however, alleged that they were initially unable to establish Dipke’s whereabouts following his detention.
Party national organisation in-charge Ajinkya Shinde claimed that more than eight hours had passed without information about where Dipke was being held or the grounds for police action.
CJP’s Ratna Singh also alleged on X that Dipke’s lawyers had been unable to meet him despite confirmation of his arrest.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) spokesperson Anish Gawande questioned the preventive action and demanded Dipke’s release.
Gawande maintained that carrying the national flag during a peaceful demonstration did not constitute an offence.
Tiranga protests put Delhi Police restrictions under scrutiny
The detentions followed CJP’s call for a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ demonstration at Central Park in Connaught Place on October 16.
The protest was organised against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and to demand accountability from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Police had imposed restrictions on gatherings in parts of central Delhi, barricaded access routes and deployed additional security personnel.
More than 150 protesters were detained during the demonstrations, according to police figures reported on Friday.
Bora was detained near Mandi House, while Dipke was taken into custody ahead of the planned march.
The police action prompted criticism from student organisations and opposition parties, which questioned the restrictions on demonstrations and the treatment of those detained.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, meanwhile, accused the Indian National Congress and its political allies of attempting to exploit youth-led protests to create instability.
Speaking in Lucknow on Friday, Singh alleged that opposition parties were diverting young people’s energy towards political confrontation rather than constructive activities.
Bora rejected allegations that the demonstrations were responsible for disorder in the capital and instead blamed the authorities for restrictions that she said had disrupted public movement.
She also renewed her demand for the impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar and an immediate halt to the SIR exercise.
The protests have drawn support beyond Delhi, with YouTuber Dhruv Rathee calling for a demonstration in London on Saturday over alleged electoral irregularities in India.
With Dipke’s preventive proceedings now before a magistrate, the immediate focus remains on the legal action against protesters and the allegations surrounding their access to lawyers during detention.
Source: NDTV