Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has challenged the Delhi Police to release the complete, unedited video of his detention, alleging that officers refused his requests to contact his cousin and speak to his lawyer.
The demand comes after the police released footage showing officers informing Dipke about his grandmother's death and offering to help him attend her last rites. Dipke questioned why the footage did not include his alleged requests for access to his phone and legal counsel.
The controversy has drawn attention to the detention of CJP leaders in Delhi amid protests over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and demands concerning Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Abhijeet Dipke Questions Delhi Police Over Edited Video
Dipke told reporters in Hingoli, Maharashtra, that the Delhi Police should make the entire recording of his detention public. He alleged that the version released by the police showed only selected parts of the interaction.
Dipke said he repeatedly asked to speak to his cousin, who lives with his grandmother, and sought permission to use his phone briefly to retrieve her contact number. He also claimed that police officers did not allow him to speak to his lawyer.
"If the Delhi Police have the courage, they should release the entire video," Dipke said, arguing that the complete recording would allow the public to understand his account of the incident.
He questioned why the portions showing his requests for phone access and legal assistance were not included in the footage released publicly.
Dipke also criticised the timing of the arrest paperwork, alleging that officers approached him at around 3:30 am and asked him to sign the documents despite his grandmother's death.
His criticism centres on what he described as a contradiction between the police's public account of offering assistance and his allegation that he was denied access to his phone and lawyer.
Delhi Police Releases Video After Allegations
The Delhi Police released a video showing an officer informing Dipke about his grandmother's death. The police said officers offered assistance, including arrangements to help him travel home for the funeral.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Neha Yadav said officers approached Dipke after receiving information about the death and offered to help with flights, phone calls and other arrangements.
According to the police, Dipke declined the offer to return home. The released footage was presented as evidence of the assistance offered to him while he was in custody.
However, Dipke disputed the police's version of events. He alleged that the footage did not show his repeated requests to access his phone and speak to his lawyer.
Hingoli, Maharashtra: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke says, "If the Delhi Police have the courage, they should release the entire video in which I repeatedly asked them to let me speak to my cousin and give me my phone for two minutes. I also repeatedly asked to speak to my lawyer. Why are you not releasing that video? You are showing an edited version. If you have the courage, show the entire video so that the public can understand how you denied me my basic rights. After anyone is arrested or detained, they have the legal right to contact their lawyer. The Delhi Police did not even allow me to do that. Now, they are taking the moral high ground by saying, 'Look, Abhijeet's grandmother had passed away, so we told him about her death and said we did not want him to stay here.' Then why did you come to me with the arrest papers at 3:30 AM..."
— IANS (@ians_india) October 12, 2026
The two sides have therefore presented different accounts of the interaction. While the police said assistance was offered after Dipke was informed about the death, he questioned whether the publicly released footage captured the entire exchange.
The complete, unedited recording has become a key part of his demand for transparency.
Grandmother's Death And The 3:30 AM Arrest Papers
The controversy also concerns the timing of the communication about Dipke's grandmother and the paperwork he was asked to sign.
Dipke alleged that officers approached him with arrest papers at around 3:30 am and asked him to sign them. He questioned why this happened at that hour, given the family's bereavement.
He also said he wanted to speak to his cousin, who lived with his grandmother, but needed access to his phone to retrieve her number.
His allegations followed concerns raised by family members and associates about whether he had been given sufficient opportunity to communicate with relatives and attend the funeral.
The police, meanwhile, maintained that officers informed him about the death and offered assistance with travel arrangements.
A fuller understanding of the encounter would require examination of the complete recording, including the portions Dipke says are missing, along with any additional information provided by the police.
Detention In Delhi Following SIR Protests
Dipke was detained by the Delhi Police on October 10 along with CJP co-convenor Saurav Das, party leader Ashutosh Ranka and others who had travelled to the capital for protests concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protests formed part of a wider political debate over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions. Opposition leaders and demonstrators have raised concerns about the process, while questions have also been raised about the handling of protests and detentions.
The detention of CJP leaders and the subsequent dispute over Dipke's treatment have added another dimension to the wider controversy.
Access to legal counsel during detention is an important legal protection. Article 22 of the Indian Constitution provides that an arrested person must be informed of the grounds of arrest and must not be denied the right to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of their choice, subject to applicable constitutional and legal provisions.
However, Dipke's allegation that he was denied access to his lawyer does not, by itself, establish that a legal violation occurred. The competing accounts and available evidence would need to be examined to determine the circumstances.
Demand For Full Video Puts Focus On Transparency
Dipke has asked the Delhi Police to release the entire recording so the public can assess the interaction in full.
The central questions concern whether the released footage provides a complete account of the conversation, what requests Dipke made during his detention and how the authorities responded.
The police have said officers offered assistance after informing him about his grandmother's death. Dipke has challenged that account and alleged that the footage does not include his requests for phone access and legal assistance.
The conflicting accounts remain unresolved unless the complete recording or other independently verified information becomes available.
The demand for the full video has brought transparency, access to legal counsel and the treatment of detainees into focus amid the continuing debate over the handling of protests in Delhi.
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