YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who was detained by Delhi Police ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) planned protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, was released late at night, a police officer said, NDTV reported.
Rathee was detained at his residence in Gurugram’s Sector 56 as police stepped up security across the national capital to prevent protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar. The demonstration called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
“He can be detained again, or further legal action might be taken if he tries to go to Jantar Mantar despite prohibitory orders,” a police officer told PTI.
In a post on X, the CJP, a political satirical group, alleged that around 50 plainclothes police personnel arrived at Rathee’s home at 8am on Saturday and detained him.
Rathee is a supporter of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and a vocal critic of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
CJP members Abhijeet Dipke, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were also placed under preventive detention on Saturday morning before being released by an executive magistrate.
More than 3,000 protesters, including politicians, were detained on Saturday and released later that night, according to the report.
Police established an extensive security cordon around the national capital to prevent unrest near Jantar Mantar in central Delhi. The restrictions also led protesters to split into smaller gatherings across the city.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court was expected to hold a special sitting on Sunday to hear a contempt petition over the blanket closure of Delhi Metro stations and the suspension of train services on Saturday.
Metro services resumed on Sunday morning, although security remained tight at station entrances and exits. Buses were also stationed nearby to transport people detained by police.
On Friday, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana had directed that metro services should not be completely suspended ahead of Saturday’s planned protest.