Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against the organisers of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Shivaji Park, along with 400-500 unidentified people who attended the demonstration on October 2.
The case was registered at under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Police Act. The charges include unlawful assembly and disobedience of a lawful order issued by a public servant, among other offences, a police official said.
The FIR followed a complaint by a resident of the Shivaji Park area. have not made any arrests in connection with the case so far, and further investigation is underway.
The CJP, founded by Abhijeet Dipke, had held the October 2 demonstration at Shivaji Park demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party has alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Police had denied permission for the protest before it was held. Authorities had cited restrictions governing the use of Shivaji Park, as well as concerns over noise and traffic disruption in the residential area.
Earlier on Friday, Siddhi Deolekar, a resident and advocate, said she lodged a complaint at Shivaji Park Police Station against Cockroach Janata Party activists Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das, and Ratna Singh for allegedly proceeding with the Shivaji Park protest despite denial of permission.
In a post on X, Deolekar said the complaint was filed against CJP leaders Dipke, Ranka, Das and Ratna Singh, the legal affairs head of the Cockroach Janata Party, and others for allegedly proceeding with the protest and gathering a large crowd despite an express denial of permission.
“As a responsible Shivaji Park citizen, I have lodged a complaint against @abhijeet_dipke, @AshutoshRanka, @Saurav Dassss and @whattalawyer at Shivaji Park Police Station for allegedly attempting to proceed with the Shivaji Park Protest and gathering a huge crowd despite express denial of permission and the restrictions flowing from the Hon’ble Bombay High Court’s judgment in PIL 116/2009 dated 04.01.2013 and the subsequent Maharashtra Government order,” she said.
She also referred to restrictions arising from the Bombay High Court’s judgment in PIL 116/2009 dated January 4, 2013, and a subsequent Maharashtra government order.
“This is not ‘peaceful protest’. This is an attempt to defy the law under the cover of a political protest,” Deolekar said.
Delhi Police detained several members of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) on Saturday during a protest near Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, as demonstrations over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls continued in the capital.
The protesters, including AISA president Neha Bora and senior advocates Prashant Bhushan and Kapil Sibal, tried to move past police barricades set up near Jantar Mantar.
Bora later praised those who took part in the demonstration in a post on X, sharing photographs with Sibal, Bhushan and other protesters. “Our Heroes! I hope that when we are your age, we are as strong and steadfast as you all!” she wrote.
AISA also posted footage from the protest on social media, saying the group would return to the streets.
The Saturday action came amid continued protests over the SIR exercise, which has triggered demonstrations in Delhi and other parts of the country.
(With agency inputs)
