YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was detained by Delhi Police from his residence in Gurugram on Saturday ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) planned protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, according to police sources.
According to the sources, around 50 Delhi Police personnel arrived at Rathee’s residence in Sector 56, Gurugram, on Saturday morning and detained him.
The detention prompted a response from CJP, which demanded Rathee’s “immediate release”.
On Friday evening, Rathee announced on X that he would participate in Saturday’s demonstration. He had arrived in India from Germany earlier in the week and attended a CJP protest in Bengaluru on October 8.
Rathee, who is known for his criticism of the Narendra Modi government, has a substantial following on social media. He has around 33 million YouTube subscribers, 19.2 million Instagram followers and 3.3 million followers on X.
CJP Protest Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar
The CJP, led by founder Abhijeet Dipke, has called for Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The party has alleged that around 13 crore voters have been removed from electoral rolls since 2024. These claims have not been independently established. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and maintained that major decisions relating to the SIR exercise were taken unanimously by the full commission.
The controversy has intensified following a report by The Indian Express that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on at least 14 occasions over 10 months regarding decisions and procedures linked to the SIR process.
The Delhi Police denied permission for the proposed Jantar Mantar demonstration, citing security concerns and procedural requirements. The organisers have continued to mobilise supporters despite the rejection.
Heavy Security and Detentions Across Delhi
Delhi has witnessed extensive security arrangements ahead of the protest, with police and Central Armed Police Forces personnel deployed at key locations.
Reports said more than 400 people had been detained overnight ahead of the demonstration. Police have erected barricades and installed spike strips at several locations to restrict movement towards central Delhi.
Authorities have also imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), prohibiting gatherings and certain public activities in designated areas.
The security measures have affected public transport. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation initially announced entry and exit restrictions at 57 stations before revising the list to 45 stations. The restrictions began on Friday evening and were scheduled to continue on Saturday, subject to the situation.
The Railways also cancelled mail and express trains scheduled to arrive at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations between 4 am and 2 pm on Saturday, citing the possibility of heavy traffic around the stations.
Retail liquor shops across Delhi were ordered to remain closed on October 9 and 10, while access to Jantar Mantar was restricted ahead of the demonstration. The Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar stations on the Namo Bharat corridor were also scheduled to remain closed during the period.
The protest comes amid escalating tensions between Opposition groups and the Election Commission over electoral roll revisions, allegations of voter deletions and demands for greater transparency in the electoral process.
