Neha Bora released, Abhijeet Dipke walks free after signing peace bond
Parwinder Sandhu
New Delhi, Oct 17 (UNI) All India Students' Association (AISA) president Neha Bora was released early Saturday after spending the night in police custody, while Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was also freed after being granted conditional bail in a fresh preventive proceeding linked to the proposed 'Lehra Do Tiranga' protest in Connaught Place. Both were detained on Friday as they headed towards the national capital's central business district for the planned march, held amid protests against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
Following her release, Bora demanded that Delhi Police free all those detained during the demonstrations, asserting that peaceful dissent could not be treated as a criminal act. "I have been released! Delhi Police, release all detained protestors! Fighting for Democracy and the Constitution cannot be criminalised!" she wrote on X. In another post, she thanked lawyers who had worked through the night to secure the release of detainees, acknowledging Supantha Sinha, Manik Gupta, Abhik Chimni and his team for their legal assistance. Speaking about her detention, Bora alleged that the police had violated due process and kept her in custody overnight.
She said she was detained at Mandi House and released around 5 am after formalities under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act were completed. "Law and order are being flouted in every possible way. Ordinary citizens are treated as if they were hardened criminals," she said, questioning the legal basis for keeping protesters in custody throughout the night. Bora also alleged that she was initially prevented from consulting a lawyer and that her legal team had to spend five to six hours trying to reach her. Calling for an end to the SIR exercise, she demanded the impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar and the release of all protesters still in custody, including Dipke.
AISA said it would continue its campaign against the electoral roll revision exercise. Dipke, meanwhile, was produced before the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court at Mandir Marg Police Station on Saturday in connection with a fresh preventive proceeding under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
According to Delhi Police, he was taken into custody for allegedly violating a peace bond furnished on October 10. He was subsequently released after signing another peace bond, police said. The latest action followed an earlier preventive proceeding on October 10, when Dipke was detained aboard an aircraft at Delhi airport and asked to furnish an undertaking to maintain peace for one year. CJP's head of legal affairs, Ratna Singh, had challenged the legality of his arrest, arguing that calling on citizens to participate in a peaceful national flag demonstration could not, by itself, constitute an offence.
"The SEM Court should release Abhijeet Dipke, as his arrest is unlawful. He merely urged people to unfurl the Tiranga, how can that by itself be a crime?" Singh wrote on X. Dipke had been detained on Friday while leaving the residence of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) spokesperson Anish Gawande, where he had been staying, to join the proposed march at Central Park in Connaught Place. Police cited prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS and concerns over traffic congestion, public safety and disruption to commercial activity.
After his release, Dipke posted a humorous reference to Shah Rukh Khan's elderly appearance in the Bollywood film Veer-Zaara, writing on X: "How it feels walking out of jail after 24 hours with no wifi and phone." Delhi Police said around 150 people were detained during Friday's demonstrations to maintain law and order and ensure the smooth movement of traffic. Central Park was cordoned off, with Rapid Action Force personnel and additional security forces deployed across Connaught Place and adjoining areas.
Separately, Left-wing organisations, including the Revolutionary Workers Party of India (RWPI) and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), staged demonstrations along Raisina Road, demanding Gyanesh Kumar's removal over the SIR exercise, today. Heavy barricading and anti-riot deployments were put in place across central Delhi to prevent protesters from advancing. Tensions were also reported outside Mandir Marg Police Station when police restricted the number of lawyers allowed to enter during Dipke's production before the magistrate, leading to a confrontation as advocates attempted to cross the barricades. CJP activists Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka remain in judicial custody after their attempt to enter the Jantar Mantar area.
UNI PWS AAB
