Grandmother’s death: Delhi Police say Abhijeet Dipke was informed; CJP alleges he was abducted

A controversy has broken out following the detention of Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke in the national capital. While police assert that they promptly informed the 31-year-old activist of his grandmother's passing with full sensitivity, party officials allege that he remains isolated in an undisclosed location.

Police assert news was shared with sensitivity

According to Delhi Police, officers received information during the day concerning the death of Dipke's paternal grandmother in Maharashtra. She had been suffering from age-related ailments and passed away in Santuk Pimpri village in Hingoli district. Officials stated that the news was immediately conveyed to the detained leader along with details regarding the timing of her funeral. Police also said they extended logistical support to fly him back to his home state on humanitarian grounds.

"During the day, unfortunate information was received regarding the death of the grandmother of Abhijeet Dipke. The information was immediately shared with him with due sensitivity, and the known time of the funeral was intimated to him," Delhi Police said in an official statement.

Authorities added that the decision to travel home or remain under detention rests entirely with Dipke.

Activists claim leader is isolated from family

However, a video circulated by the CJP official handle presents a starkly contrasting account of events. The party published a public appeal claiming that Dipke has been placed under illegal detention where neither his relatives nor legal representatives can establish contact with him. In the accompanying caption, the party wrote:

"We appeal to @DelhiPolice to immediately release @abhijeet_dipke from his illegal detention. His grandmother has passed away, and his family cannot even inform him of this loss. His whereabouts remain unknown, and even his lawyers cannot reach him."

Speaking in the video broadcast, a party representative described the situation as a "clear case of abduction".

"We are unable to inform this news to him. We are unable to trace him out. Our lawyers are not able to reach out to him. There is no such communication between Abhijeet Dipke and us. The least what Delhi police can do is at least allow him to speak to his family," the speaker said.

Flight apprehension and capital crackdown

The detention occurred after Dipke and fellow party leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das landed at Delhi Airport on an Air India flight from Mumbai. Police officers boarded the aircraft directly from the aisle to apprehend the political figures. Broadcasts recorded by Dipke inside the plane showed officers surrounding the aisle as he accused authorities of employing heavy-handed tactics.

The security action was part of a widespread effort to prevent a planned march at Jantar Mantar. Organisers called the rally to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter roll irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision. Security forces closed 46 Metro stations and detained between 1,000 and 1,500 supporters across the city.

Family reaction and organizational adjustments

In Maharashtra, Dipke's parents expressed distress over his arrest from inside the aircraft. His mother, Anita Dipke, characterized the police action as wrong, while his father, Bhagwanrao Dipke, voiced support for his political campaign. Both parents prepared to travel from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Hingoli for the final rites.

Meanwhile, to maintain momentum for the ongoing campaign despite the detention of its primary leadership, the CJP temporarily handed charge of the movement to party colleague Ajinkya Shinde.