Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, who was placed under preventive arrest by the Delhi Police, was released by a Delhi court on Saturday (October 17, 2026) after signing a peace bond, even as sporadic protests, led by women activists, continued for the eighth day against the Chief Election Commissioner and police action.
AISA president Neha Bora, detained at Mandi House on Friday during a protest march, was also released after being kept in detention for around 12 hours.
A Special Executive Magistrate ordered Mr. Dipke’s release after he signed a ₹50,000 bond stating that he would not participate in any activity that would breach peace or create a law-and-order situation. He was detained on Friday (October 16, 2026) evening minutes ahead of the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march at Connaught Place.
Around 150 people took part in two protest marches in the capital. Women representatives from the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), the National Federation of Indian Women, the All India Progressive Women’s Association, the All India Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan, the All India Feminist Alliance, and other women’s and students’ groups took out a march along Ashoka Road to the Delhi Police headquarters against the alleged “sexualised and gender-based violence” by Delhi Police personnel against protesters.
Women representatives from AIDWA, SFI, KYS and other groups protest against alleged sexual harassment of women protesters and the SIR outside the Delhi Police headquarters, in New Delhi on October 17, 2026. | Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
Following a brief standoff and sloganeering, a delegation of 15-20 representatives submitted a memorandum to the police chief demanding accountability and legal action against erring officers.
The memorandum flagged allegations of assault and sexual harassment of women, transgender people, and other gender-diverse protesters during demonstrations starting on October 2. It cited videos, photographs, and personal accounts of alleged assaults, both in public and inside police detention buses and detention centres.
“These deliberate actions by the authorities are nothing but misogynistic attempts to silence women’s voices,” AIDWA vice-president Mariam Dhawale said, calling for action against police personnel responsible for the alleged acts.
“Instead of taking action against such officers, Delhi Police is promoting them. You cannot give signals that misbehavior and sexual harassment can be tolerated,” she added.
People under the banner of Justice Morcha protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the SIR outside the Press Club of India, in New Delhi on October 17, 2026. | Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
Later in the day, around 30 protesters, including students and activists under the banner of Justice Morcha, staged a protest outside the Press Club of India. They were detained on their way to Jantar Mantar and taken away by the police before being released in the evening.
Activists slam detentions
A CJP counsel questioned why the police repeatedly took Mr. Dipke before the Special Executive Magistrate instead of taking him to the magistrate with jurisdiction over the case.
Police said they released Mr. Dipke because his case involved a violation of prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, unlike that against other CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who face more serious charges, including trespass.
AISA activists said they searched police stations and found that Neha was being held at the R.K. Puram Police Station. They alleged that the student leader was denied access to medicines.
N. Sai Balaji, a close aide of the AISA president, said that after 12 hours of protest and “outrage across the country over an illegal detention” the student leader was released. He said the fight against SIR will continue.
Abhik Chimni, a lawyer who was part of the legal team, said, “It was an illegal custody, as there was no basis for them to keep Neha overnight. It was an elongated detention without any explanation... The criminal system doesn’t allow you to use powers of preventive custody so casually. Nor does it allow the imposition of Section 163 of BNSS 2022 this arbitrarily.”
The Delhi Police registered at least two FIRs against organisers and protesters for the violation of prohibitory orders under Section 163 BNSS in Connaught Place in New Delhi during the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march on Friday evening.
(With inputs from Ishita Mishra, Ashna Butani)