Delhi Police Detain Lawyers, Political Leaders, Students and Activists Ahead of Jantar Mantar Protest

Delhi Police reportedly detained lawyers, political leaders, students, activists and other public figures on Saturday ahead of a protest at Jantar Mantar against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The reported detentions took place across the national capital and neighbouring areas as protesters prepared to demonstrate against the election roll revision process and demand the Chief Election Commissioner’s resignation. Journalists and protest organisers have reported widespread police action, with hundreds of students, activists and demonstrators allegedly taken into custody.

Lawyers Detained While Marching From Supreme Court

Delhi Police reportedly detained a group of lawyers who were marching from the Supreme Court towards Jantar Mantar to join the protest.

According to reports from the ground shared by Fikrokhabar, the lawyers had announced a march beginning at 9 am in solidarity with the demonstrators. Their detention came amid reports of extensive police action against people attempting to reach the protest venue.

Senior CPI(M) Leaders Detained at Kerala House

Several senior leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), were reportedly detained at Kerala House in Delhi ahead of the demonstration.

Those detained included party General Secretary M A Baby, Polit Bureau member M V Govindan and senior leader P K Sreemathi.

Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) MP John Brittas reportedly raised slogans protesting the police action as the leaders were taken into custody.

The incident added to the growing number of reported detentions involving political leaders and activists ahead of the Jantar Mantar demonstration.

CJP Legal Head Ratna Singh Detained

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said its legal head, Ratna Singh, had reportedly been detained by Delhi Police ahead of the protest.

The party has been among the groups associated with the demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR process.

Reports of Dhruv Rathee’s Detention

Popular YouTuber and political commentator Dhruv Rathee was also reportedly detained from his residence in Gurugram ahead of the planned protest, according to the information provided by protest related sources.

The reported detention came amid police action against activists and demonstrators in Delhi and nearby areas.

Further details surrounding the circumstances of the reported detention were not immediately available in the information provided.

Seven MSF Activists Detained Overnight

Seven activists associated with the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), including the general secretary of its Jamia Millia Islamia unit, were reportedly detained by Delhi Police at around 12:30 am on Saturday.

According to MSF, police picked up the students from the Julena area and took them to Jamia Nagar Police Station.

The activists reportedly said they were travelling to Old Delhi when they were detained. Their detention came hours before the planned Jantar Mantar protest, adding to concerns among student groups over police restrictions on movement ahead of the demonstration.

Kavya Karnatac and Her Team Also Reportedly Detained

Kavya Karnatac, a digital content creator, independent journalist and founder of KK Create, was reportedly detained along with her crew while travelling to cover the Jantar Mantar protest.

The reported incident has raised concerns about the ability of journalists and independent media teams to cover demonstrations amid heightened police restrictions.

Trade Union Leaders and Other Activists Face Police Action

Abhishek, Delhi general secretary of the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), was reportedly detained from the organisation’s office on Saturday morning.

AICCTU alleged that the detention was intended to prevent him from joining the demonstration. According to the union, police initially took him to Burari Police Station before moving him to an undisclosed location.

Activists associated with the Fraternity Movement from Jamia Millia Islamia were also reportedly detained at Connaught Place while attempting to reach Jantar Mantar.

The CJP separately reported the detention of its policy division head, Mehr Pasricha, ahead of the protest.

CJP Founder and Leaders Detained on a Flight

In an unusual reported incident, Delhi Police personnel boarded a flight carrying CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and other party leaders before detaining them ahead of the demonstration.

Dipke shared a live video showing police personnel entering the aircraft. In the video, he was heard saying, “They are here to arrest us.”

The incident added to reports of police action targeting protest organisers before they could reach the demonstration site.

Tushar Gandhi and Associates Detained in Mumbai

Police in Mumbai reportedly detained Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and president of Hum Bharat Ke Log, along with his associates at different locations.

They were reportedly heading to August Kranti Maidan for a demonstration scheduled for 3:30 pm in solidarity with the Delhi protest.

Tushar Gandhi had earlier said he was prepared to face arrest, invoking the principles of civil disobedience and Satyagraha associated with Mahatma Gandhi.

Brinda Karat and K.K. Shailaja Among Those Detained

The CPI(M) also reported that senior leaders Brinda Karat and K.K. Shailaja were detained while marching towards Jantar Mantar.

Their reported detention, alongside those of other political leaders and activists, further expanded the list of people reportedly taken into custody before the demonstration.

Police Seek Cancellation of Sharjeel Imam’s Interim Bail

In a separate development, Delhi Police approached a court seeking the cancellation of interim bail granted to Sharjeel Imam to attend a family wedding, according to Bar and Bench.

Police reportedly cited a video showing Imam interacting with media personnel, arguing that the interaction violated restrictions imposed under the bail order.

The court proceedings concerning Imam’s bail are separate from the reported detentions linked to the protest.

Protest Centres on Electoral Roll Revision

The demonstration at Jantar Mantar was organised to oppose the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The reported detentions across Delhi, Gurugram and Mumbai have brought renewed attention to the police response ahead of the protests. Journalists, lawyers, students, political leaders, trade union representatives and activists have all been named in reports of police action.

The circumstances surrounding individual detentions, including the legal grounds for the actions, require further independent verification. The developments have nevertheless raised questions about the ability of citizens and media professionals to participate in and report on public demonstrations.