Abhijeet Dipke detained before Tiranga march, Neha Bora picked up from Jantar Mantar

New Delhi: Delhi Police detained Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and student leader Neha Bora on Friday amid protests linked to demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Officers stopped Dipke as he left for Connaught Place to attend the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ event. Police detained Bora just as she began her march from Mandi House.

The Tiranga gathering was scheduled for 5 pm on October 16 at Central Park in Connaught Place. Police had urged Dipke to cancel it, citing concerns about traffic disruption, public safety and inconvenience to traders and commuters.

Police stop Dipke

Dipke stepped out of the house where he was staying and walked towards the street. Police personnel stopped him and, after a brief exchange, drove him away in a police vehicle.

#WATCH | Delhi | As CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke leaves from the residence of NCP-SCP spokesperson Anish Gawande, a police official says, “We are placing you under preventive detention. Section 163 is in force in Connaught Place. You are being detained…”

CJP has called for ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest at Central Park in Connaught Place today.

— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2026

In footage shared by ANI, an officer told Dipke that police had placed him under preventive detention. The officer cited prohibitory orders under Section 163 in Connaught Place.

Dipke argued that he had not violated any law. He also asked the officers to suggest another venue for the event.

Protest over leaders’ arrests

Dipke had announced the gathering to oppose the arrests of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. Both have remained in judicial custody since their arrest after allegedly breaching barricades at Jantar Mantar. The incident followed the Centre’s decision to denotify Jantar Mantar as a protest site. Das, Ranka and other party members later assembled there, held a brief demonstration and waved the Tricolour before police detained them.

The wider dispute began with the CJP and Opposition groups seeking Kumar’s resignation over alleged election irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Earlier protests and detentions

Police had blocked the CJP’s planned October 10 protest against the CEC and detained Dipke, Das and Ranka. A court subsequently released the three leaders. Meanwhile, INDIA bloc MPs led by Rahul Gandhi marched towards the Supreme Court to submit a petition against the CEC.

The Centre later withdrew Jantar Mantar’s status as a protest site. The subsequent arrests of Das and Ranka prompted Dipke’s call for the October 16 Tiranga event at Connaught Place.