New Delhi: The Delhi Police informed the Supreme Court that protesters detained during the Cockroach Janta Party demonstration at Jantar Mantar were housed at makeshift centres, provided with hot and fresh meals, and released within a timeframe of two to six hours.
The details were presented in affidavits submitted by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar as part of a contempt of court case regarding restrictions implemented during the CJP rally. Kumar additionally noted that political leaders were accommodated in station house officer chambers and given tea, coffee, meals, and other refreshments.
The police chief tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology to the apex court while denying any intentional or deliberate breach of judicial directives, requesting the discharge of the contempt notice. In filings before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, Kumar insisted that there was no non-compliance with the court's orders.
The contempt petition had claimed that law enforcement violated October 9 directives by limiting access at metro stations, specifically GTB Nagar and Vishwavidyalaya in north Delhi, during the gathering. The court had previously instructed that metro operations run normally, internet services remain uninterrupted, barricades be reassessed, and peaceful assemblies avoid unlawful detention outside zones where prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS applied.
Addressing internet curbs, the police explained that cellular data services were suspended due to law and order concerns following a request made to the Centre, impacting an area within four kilometres of Raisina Hill, while services elsewhere remained untouched. Regarding the metro, restrictions initially applied to 57 stations were scaled back to 45 following the October 9 order, with normal operations resuming on the night of October 10.
Commissioner Kumar also stated that no notice boards cautioning against demonstrations had been placed inside the Supreme Court premises, emphasizing that the court complex could not function as a protest site. Explaining the detentions, police stated that demonstrators were removed under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act and Section 172 of the BNSS strictly within areas under Section 163 prohibitory orders.
The affidavit highlighted previous demonstrations by the CJP, noting that a permitted one-day event on June 20 extended to 36 days, and a July 20 march drew over 35,000 people without permission, resulting in injuries to more than 240 police personnel. The commissioner characterized his submission as an interim response and argued that an incorrect narrative regarding police actions was being promoted.