The Bombay High Court ordered Goa Police to immediately release six activists detained during a Panaji protest. The late-night intervention has put the legality of the detention and protest curbs under scrutiny.
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Panaji,Oct 11, 2026 22:50 IST
The Bombay High Court on Sunday night ordered the immediate release of six Cockroach Janta Party activists who were detained by Goa Police during a protest in Panaji seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Goa bench of the high court heard an urgent petition over the alleged illegal detention of the six activists during the protest at Azad Maidan. The detainees included hotelier Jack Sukhija, and activists Amreen Shaikh, Aditya Parulekar and Bhupesh Bin, among others.
Advocate Norma Alvares, appearing for the petitioners before a division bench of Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Amit Jamsandekar, said the hearing on a habeas corpus petition filed by advocate Melisa Simoes began at 7.30 pm and ended at 8.45 pm. The judges assembled in court with the staff to hear the petition. Alvares said the public prosecutor, who joined the hearing online, assured the court that all six individuals would be released immediately. The bench posted the matter for hearing on Monday.
According to Alvares, the high court said that if the six activists were willing, a medical examination could be conducted at Goa Medical College and Hospital, as two of them were reportedly injured during the detention. She said she had given an undertaking to the court that the six activists would not hold any protest or return to Azad Maidan on Sunday night. “It is only for tonight as the hearing is scheduled for tomorrow,” she said.
Alvares also said the bench had ordered the officers in charge of Panaji and Pernem police stations to file affidavits stating the reasons for the detention and why the activists were not allowed to stage a peaceful protest. The activists were shifted to Pernem police station from Panaji. She said the CJP had sought permission from the district administration on October 7 for a demonstration at Azad Maidan, and the administration informed the party on October 9 that permission could not be granted.
After his release, Sukhija said they were picked up by the police during a peaceful protest. “The Supreme Court has said that there is no prohibition on peaceful protests, but we were picked up and taken to Pernem police station,” he said. He also claimed their phones were taken away and they were not allowed to contact anyone.
Earlier in the day, Goa Police detained several protesters heading to the CJP agitation before the demonstration began. Authorities rounded up dozens of demonstrators as they arrived at Azad Maidan, and stopped senior figures, including former Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Ferdin Rebello, from entering the venue, forcing the protest onto the adjacent main road. Demonstrators then spilled onto the streets outside the Goa Police headquarters after being stopped from entering the venue. “Freedom fighters fought for the liberation of Goa, and now we are fighting for freedom from the misuse of power by the Election Commission. Entering Azad Maidan is not an offence,” Rebello said.
The high court’s order brought the detained activists’ release late on Sunday night, while questions over the detention and the denial of permission for the protest are set to come up again when the matter is heard on Monday.
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