An in Delhi on ordered the release of leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das, and Ashutosh Ranka from , on the condition that they furnish a ₹50,000 and maintain peace for one year. The trio had been detained by on , shortly after their flight from Mumbai landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport, ahead of a planned protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanes kumar.
The release was ordered by the . The court directed the leaders to execute a bond under , which empowers an to require a person likely to breach the peace to execute a bond for keeping the peace for up to one year. Additionally, the police had invoked , which allows a police officer to a person designed to commit a if the arrest is necessary to prevent it.
Police stated that the preventive arrest followed and that the leaders were produced before the on . The detentions were part of a large-scale clampdown in the national capital, where over 7,000 protesters, including opposition leaders and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, were detained. Several opposition cos—including former chief ministers—were also taken into custody while attempting to join the protest.
After their release, Das told reporters: “They picked us up as if we were criminals … They took our phones forcibly.” Ranka accused the government of creating a “war-like situation” by deploying tens of thousands of troops and said the clmpdown had “damaged the image of our country.” CJP legal affairs head confirmed the release and called it a “major legal victory.”
Legal Implications of the
The bond under binds the leaders to maintain good behavior for one year, but CJP clarified that it does not bar . “No CJP leader has signed any bond that says they will not protest any more. The bond refers to refraining from . But participating in a is a and does not breach peace,” the party stated on X. The court’s order effectively allows the leaders to continue their agitational activities so long as they do not disturb .
The release came amid a broader legal challenge to the mass detentions. The Supreme Court of India agreed to hold a special sitting on to hear petitions challenging the indiscriminate detentions and the security clampdown that inclded restrictions on public transport and metro services.
Ultimatum to Police for Next Protest
On , Das and Ranka went to the and gave a 24-hour ultimatum to provide a date for the next protest at Jantar Mantar. “Police tells everyone to approach them 10 days in advance. We are now saying that they have the choice to tell us the date and time. We are giving them a 24-hour ultimatum,” Das told reporters. Ranka added that if the police did not respond, the party would announce its own protest call within that timeframe.
The CJP has renewed its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanes Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The party said its protests will continue across the country until the demand is met. Meanwhile, the opposition led by Rahul Gandhi planned a march to the Supreme Court on afternoon over the same issue, adding to the tense atmosphere in the capital.
What’s Next
The ’s release order marks a for the CJP, but the over the scope of under BNSS continues. The Supreme Court’s special hearing on the mass detentions could have far-reaching implications for the . For now, the ball is in ’s court: they have 24 hours to respond to the CJP’s request for a protest date, else the party will set its own schedule, potentially reigniting confrontations.
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