NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Sunday released a video showing officers informing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke about his grandmother’s death while he was in detention in the national capital. Deputy Commissioner of Police Neha Yadav said Dipke was offered assistance to travel to his hometown for the last rites.DCP Neha Yadav said officers approached Dipke as soon as they received information about his grandmother’s demise and offered help with flights, phone calls and other arrangements but the CJP founder declined.“As soon as the Delhi Police received information about the passing away of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) Founder Abhijeet Dipke’s grandmother, officers approached him to convey this sad news and offered all possible assistance. They sensitively asked if he needed help with flights, phone calls, or anything else. They repeatedly asked if he wished to speak to his parents, but he declined,” DCP Yadav said.The video release came after Dipke’s mother, Anita Dipke, accused Delhi Police of lying about informing her son of the death, saying the family had been unable to contact him and had put the last rites on hold until he could return.Responding to Dipke’s mother, Delhi Police clarified that Dipke was informed about the death and the scheduled funeral time, and was offered assistance to facilitate his travel to his hometown on humanitarian grounds. However, the police said he declined the offer.Dipke’s paternal grandmother, Savitribai Shankarrao Dipke, 85, died at her home in Santuk Pimpri village in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district at 11.30am on Saturday following a prolonged illness and age-related ailments. Her last rites were scheduled for 10am on Sunday.
Police on why Dipke was detained
Dipke, along with CJP co-convenor Saurav Das and leader Ashutosh Ranka, was detained on October 10 after arriving in Delhi from Mumbai ahead of the party’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar demanding chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.DCP Yadav said permission for the proposed sit-in at Janpath was denied because of the party’s alleged failure to follow prescribed procedures, its past conduct and the prevailing security situation. She also cited restrictions imposed under Section 133 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in several areas.“Regarding CJP, their past conduct showed a failure to adhere to previously given undertakings and local directives. When permission was granted previously, they did not abide by the law; the crowd they mobilized engaged in heavy stone-pelting, arson, and violence, causing significant damage to public property,” she said.“Permission for the proposed sit-in protest at Janpath was denied due to the failure to follow prescribed procedures, a history of non-compliance with laws and guidelines, and the prevailing security and law-and-order situation,” she added.
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The three CJP leaders were subsequently released after being produced before an Executive Magistrate at Delhi Cantt Police Station, subject to an undertaking to maintain public order for one year, according to the party’s legal affairs head, Ratna Singh.Following his release, Dipke reiterated that the party would continue its protests. “Haven’t signed any bond that says we won’t protest. We will hit the streets again,” he said in a post on X on Sunday.
