New Delhi [India], October 17 : All India Students' Association (AISA) National President Neha Bora, who was detained by Delhi Police on the evening of October 16, was released after completion of formal procedures under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act, following which she questioned the police action and alleged that ordinary citizens were being treated like hardened criminals.
Bora and Abhijeet Dipke, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder, were detained following the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' protest held in the national capital on October 16. While Bora was released, Dipke was arrested in a fresh preventive case and is scheduled to be produced before the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court.
Speaking to ANI after her release, Bora alleged that detainees were being kept in custody throughout the night and released only the following morning or evening, questioning the legal basis for such action.
She also criticised the restrictions imposed in Central Delhi amid the protests against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and demanded the impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and a halt to the revision exercise.
"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," Bora said after her release.
"The current movement has clearly exposed how people are being detained, whether during the day or in the evening, held in custody throughout the night, and only released 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 added.
Bora further alleged that legal procedures concerning the detention and release of women were not being followed.
"Legally, individuals, especially women, ought to be released after sunset, yet this is not happening," she said.
Referring to the allegations of "anarchy" by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh levelled against the Opposition over the protests, Bora questioned the government's position and said restrictions in the national capital were inconveniencing ordinary people.
"Furthermore, there is a new narrative being pushed, one of chaos and anarchy. What kind of chaos and anarchy? The one you unleashed in Central Delhi? The people of Delhi cannot even breathe a sigh of relief; whichever route they take to get to work, they find it blocked. You are spreading chaos and anarchy across the nation," she said.
"Please, spare the people of India. Impeach Gyanesh Kumar and halt SIR, so that the ordinary citizens of this country can breathe a sigh of relief, feel at ease, and have their voting rights ensured," Bora added.
Bora also alleged that the police initially did not allow her to speak or consult a lawyer during her detention, claiming that her legal team had to make repeated efforts to reach her.
"They (Police) demanded my name, address, and other details. For a long time, they wouldn't even let me speak or consult with a legal advisor (lawyer). Our lawyers spent 5–6 hours trying to reach me; it was only after we managed to call them that they were finally allowed to meet me," she said.
"These are the kinds of things these people have been doing for a long time," she added.
According to Delhi Police, both Bora and Dipke were detained on Friday evening under preventive provisions following the October 16 protest. Subsequently, action under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was taken against Dipke in a fresh preventive case. He was arrested and is scheduled to be produced before the SEM court, which will decide the further course of action under the applicable legal procedure.
Earlier, on October 10, Dipke had been detained in a separate preventive case while travelling on a flight. In that case, he was required to execute a bond undertaking to maintain peace for one year. The latest action relates to a fresh case arising from the events of October 16 and is separate from the earlier proceedings.
Delhi Police had been monitoring the situation in connection with the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party in Delhi. Further developments in Dipke’s case are awaited.
Meanwhile, CJP's Ratna Singh alleged in a post on X that Dipke's location remained unknown following his arrest and that his lawyers had not been able to meet him. She said Dipke had been arrested and would be produced before the SEM court.
https://x.com/whattalawyer/status/2111257276044681372
Separately, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee announced on X that he had reached London and called for an international protest over alleged electoral irregularities in India.
"I’ve just reached London. It’s time the world sees the reality of vote chor and murderer of democracy. International danka bajane ka time aa gaya hai," Rathee wrote.
He also called on people in London to join a protest tomorrow at 12 pm in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in London's Parliament Square.
https://x.com/dhruv_rathee/status/2111172108663324927?s=20
The developments come amid continued protests by Opposition leaders, CJP, INDIA bloc parties and student organisations against the Election Commission's SIR exercise.
On Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accused Congress and its allies of using youth-led protests against the Election Commission to fuel political unrest, alleging that they were seeking regime change in India along the lines of Bangladesh.
Speaking at a news conference in Lucknow, Singh alleged that the opposition was attempting to destabilise the country by turning young people into "pawns in the politics of disorder".
He also said that the INDIA bloc was using protests over electoral reforms and CEC Gyanesh Kumar as a pretext to create unrest and seize power.
Singh said, “It appears that the Congress and its political allies, both directly and through their affiliated organisations, are attempting to channel the energy of young people not into constructive activities and nation-building, but into instruments of political confrontation and the spread of chaos."