Delhi court frees CJP leaders, orders peace pledge as fresh protests loom
A Delhi court released three Cockroach Janta Party leaders on the condition they avoid breaching peace for a year, while new rallies are planned in Delhi and Mumbai demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
On Sunday, a Delhi court freed Cockroach Janta Party leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, mandating that they not breach the peace for a year, according to campaign legal head Ratna Singh. The three had been detained after their aircraft landed amid protests calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign over alleged electoral roll irregularities. The CJP, together with left groups, announced a fresh march at Jantar Mantar and a separate rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai at 4 pm.
Press organisations condemned the arrest of journalists, and the United Nations Human Rights Office voiced concern, which India’s Ministry of External Affairs dismissed as unwarranted interference. The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions challenging the detentions and a contempt case over metro shutdowns. Delhi Police issued traffic advisories affecting 30 locations, while train and metro services are returning to normal schedules.
Why it matters
The releases and ongoing protests highlight escalating tensions over election oversight and press freedom in India.
How this story developed
- Oct 2 Youth party and student groups rally to demand resignation of India's election chief
- Oct 6 When police barred the INDIA bloc march to the Election Commission, Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka redirected the demonstration to the Akashvani Bhavan building.
- Oct 7 Cockroach Janta Party filed a formal notice with Delhi police about an Oct 10 Jantar Mantar protest demanding the CEC’s resignation.
- Oct 7 Police detained Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi and other lawmakers during the protest and released them later that evening.
- Oct 8 India’s Election Commission is under intense pressure after a newspaper report claimed key decisions in a nationwide voter-roll cleanup were made without full commissioner approval, sparking large demonstrations demanding chief Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
- Oct 9 Delhi police say restrictions on the Cockroach Janta Party’s planned rally at Jantar Mantar are needed to avoid overcrowding and protect the public.
- Oct 9 Police have deployed over 20,000 officers and closed metro gates ahead of the planned protests.
- Oct 10 The Union Home Ministry approved the addition of about 11,000 Central Armed Police Forces personnel.
- Oct 10 Police detained many individuals in the hours before the scheduled rally.
- Oct 10 Mumbai police detained Tushar Gandhi, a Gandhi descendant, as part of the wider crackdown.
- Oct 10 The Supreme Court ordered that some train services remain operational despite earlier shutdown orders.
- Oct 10 Police deployed thousands of personnel, closed 45 metro stations and detained additional opposition figures and activists.
- Oct 10 Authorities detained over 1,000 activists and arrested more than 600 people with criminal histories.
- Oct 11 Delhi imposed wide‑scale traffic diversions around key intersections as the protest entered its second day.
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