Neha Bora released over Delhi protest

photo: collected

Delhi Police detained prominent student and political figures ahead of the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' demonstration at Connaught Place on Friday. While AISA chief Neha Bora was released early Saturday morning, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke remains under preventive arrest.

Charged under BNSS provisions relating to breaches of peace, Dipke is set to be produced before a Special Executive Magistrate court later on Saturday.

Bora was released after completing formalities related to her detention under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act.

CJP legal head Ratna Singh alleged that Dipke's location is "unknown" and claimed that lawyers haven't met him.

"Abhijeet is arrested & will be produced before SEM court. His location still unknown, lawyers haven't met," Singh wrote on X.

In another post, Singh said that Dipke would be produced before the court at 12:00 pm today.

The CJP, Opposition parties, student groups and civil society organisations have staged protests in several parts of India demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

'Illegal Detentions Being Used To Instil Fear'

After being released from detention, Neha Bora alleged that protesters were being detained without valid reasons and kept in custody for hours, saying such actions were being used to instil fear among ordinary citizens. 

She said, "For a very long time in this country, it has been the case that people are detained without any valid reason and made to sit [in custody] for hours. This has become even more apparent now, as it is happening daily within the ongoing movement. We see protesters being apprehended and detained, only to be released the following morning or evening. Today, I personally witnessed an example of why such illegal detentions occur, what their purpose is, and how they are being used to instil fear in the minds of ordinary citizens."

Bora also demanded the immediate release of Abhijeet Dipke and other detained protesters.

"Abhijeet should be released. I wasn't even aware he had been detained. All other protesters who have been illegally detained should also be released immediately. These are ordinary citizens who are simply demanding accountability and the right to vote. There is no justification for such illegal detentions or for holding people at a police station overnight."

The CJP and AISA on Friday had raised concerns over the whereabouts of their leaders Abhijeet Dipke and Neha Bora, alleging they were denied access to lawyers and associates after being detained by Delhi Police during protests in the national capital.

They were detained while on their way to participate in the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' protests.

CJP claimed that Dipke had been taken to an undisclosed location and that the party had been unable to contact him. The  AISA, meanwhile, alleged that Bora was being held alone at the Anti-Narcotics Task Force in Mangolpuri.

"The Delhi Police has taken Abhijeet Dipke to an undisclosed location. We have lost contact with him. He is not being allowed to talk to lawyers," the CJP had said in a post on X.

Source: NDTV