NEW DELHI: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was granted conditional bail on Saturday (October 17) by a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) at Mandir Marg Police Station, a day after he was detained by Delhi Police ahead of the proposed ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march at Connaught Place.
Dipke was released after signing another peace bond requiring him to maintain peace and good behaviour for one year. This is the second time in six days that he has been made to furnish such an undertaking.
On October 11, Dipke, along with CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, was released by an SEM court at Delhi Cantonment after furnishing surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each. The three had been taken into preventive custody on October 10 ahead of their proposed protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Despite the earlier undertaking, Dipke announced another demonstration at Connaught Place on October 16. Delhi Police served him two notices ahead of the march. One prohibited demonstrations and processions in the area, while the other reminded him of the conditions imposed during his previous release.
Police had also invoked prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), citing concerns over public safety, traffic movement and disruption to commercial activities.
Dipke was detained shortly after leaving his residence in the Jhandewalan area to proceed towards Connaught Place. Police subsequently initiated preventive proceedings under Sections 126 and 170 of the BNSS.
Section 126 permits an Executive Magistrate to require security for maintaining peace, while Section 170 empowers police to make preventive arrests to stop the commission of cognisable offences.
Police sources alleged that Dipke had violated his earlier peace bond. However, the written order detailing the grounds for imposing a fresh bond was not immediately available.
Meanwhile, All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora, who was also detained on Friday, was released on Saturday after completing the required formalities.
The proposed march was organised following the arrest of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were remanded to judicial custody over allegations of entering the prohibited Jantar Mantar area and violating their earlier peace bonds.
