Quick Answer: Delhi Police registered more than 20 FIRs on Sunday over attempts to forcibly stage protests around Jantar Mantar, citing assault on police personnel, obstruction and taking the law into their own hands. Police also took suo motu cognisance of a video showing four men assaulting a protester; the men were identified and proceedings began.
Delhi Police have registered more than 20 first information reports in connection with the protests around Jantar Mantar, as the confrontation over the Cockroach Janta Party's agitation against the Election Commission entered its second day on Sunday. Officials said the cases allege assault on police personnel, obstruction of official duties, taking the law into their own hands, and violations of restrictions on public gatherings.
The FIRs were filed as protesters gathered around Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, ANI reported on Sunday, citing officials. The Statesman, citing IANS, carried the same account: more than 20 FIRs, with the cases involving allegations of assault on police personnel, obstruction of official duties and violations of restrictions imposed on public gatherings.
Police probe assault video
In a separate development on Sunday afternoon, Delhi Police said they were "taking suo motu cognisance" of a video circulating on social media that showed four men assaulting a male protester. The force said all four individuals had been identified and traced, and that legal proceedings had been initiated at the Kamla Market police station.
"Taking suo motu cognizance of a video circulating on social media showing four men allegedly assaulting a male protester, Delhi Police, PS Kamla Market, acted promptly and initiated legal proceedings," the force said in a post on X. "Further legal action is underway in accordance with the law."
The force added that it "remains committed to taking appropriate action against incidents of violence and ensuring that complaints of such nature are dealt with promptly."
What led to the FIRs
The criminal cases follow Saturday's massive police operation across the capital to stop the CJP-led protest from assembling at Jantar Mantar. Thousands of demonstrators were detained after authorities denied permission for the agitation and imposed restrictions on public gatherings. Those picked up included former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, activist Yogendra Yadav and lawyer Prashant Bhushan.
Social media influencer Dhruv Rathee was detained at his Gurugram residence on Saturday and released late at night, officials said. Most of Saturday's detainees were subsequently released.
By Sunday, the three CJP leaders at the centre of the story — founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka — had been released by an executive magistrate on the condition of "no breach of peace for one year" after their preventive detention on Saturday. The Supreme Court's special Sunday sitting then ordered that barricades be reviewed, that people gathering peacefully not be detained, and that metro, rail and internet services function normally.
The July precedent
This is not the first time mass FIRs have followed a CJP protest — and courts have pushed back before. After the CJP's July 20 "Sansad Chalo" march, which saw clashes between police and protesters, the Crime Branch lodged a fresh FIR to probe whether the violence was "premeditated," ThePrint reported. That came after the Supreme Court quashed 17 FIRs registered over those protests and permitted the police to file a single FIR — limited to 2,873 individuals with prior criminal records identified through the force's facial-recognition system, a senior officer told ThePrint.
The precedent matters for Sunday's cases. If the new FIRs sweep in peaceful protesters alongside those accused of violence, they could face the same judicial scrutiny the July cases drew. Registration is only the start of the legal process — and courts have already shown they will examine how these cases are built.
Why it matters
The FIRs mark a shift in the story's legal dimension. Until now, the police action had been largely preventive — detentions under BNSS provisions to stop the protest from happening. Criminal cases alleging assault on police personnel and obstruction open a different front: one that could lead to arrests, chargesheets and trials, rather than same-day releases.
The CJP, for its part, is refusing to back down. After the release of its leaders, the organisation declared on social media that "cockroaches never die." National organisation in-charge Ajinkya Shinde called for another march towards Jantar Mantar on Sunday and was scheduled to address the media at the Press Club of India at 2 pm.
The political temperature is rising too. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said party leaders would meet Chief Justice of India Surya Kant between 4 and 5 pm on Sunday to apprise him of the situation. "We cannot demand anything from him, but we will place our concerns before him with folded hands and request his intervention," Kharge said. He alleged an "undeclared Emergency" was prevailing and said the party would "continue our fight to protect democracy and the constitutional rights of the people."
What happens next
The immediate focus is on whether the planned Sunday demonstrations materialise despite the FIRs and the heavy police presence around Jantar Mantar. The Supreme Court's Sunday orders — no illegal detentions of peaceful protesters, barricades reviewed, normal transport and internet — set the legal boundaries for how police handle any fresh gathering.
The court has asked the Centre to respond to the petitions by Tuesday and ordered a detailed compliance response, including a station-by-station picture of barricading. Shinde's 2 pm press conference and the Congress delegation's meeting with the CJI will set the political tone for the evening. Meanwhile, the FIR investigations — and the Kamla Market assault-video probe — will move through the police system independently of the protest politics.
Read more: Supreme Court Orders Delhi Barricades Reviewed in CJP Protest Case | CJP Leaders Released in Delhi After 24-Hour Detention | CJP Leaders Preventively Arrested Ahead of Day-2 Delhi Protest
Key Takeaways
- Delhi Police registered more than 20 FIRs on Sunday over attempts to forcibly stage protests around Jantar Mantar on Saturday.
- The cases allege assault on police personnel, obstruction of official duties, taking the law into one's own hands, and violations of gathering restrictions.
- Police took suo motu cognisance of a video showing four men assaulting a protester; the men were identified and legal proceedings began at Kamla Market police station.
- The CJP vowed to continue its agitation, with Ajinkya Shinde calling for another march and addressing the media at 2 pm.
- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said party leaders would meet CJI Surya Kant on Sunday evening over the detentions.
- The Supreme Court's special Sunday sitting ordered barricades reviewed and no illegal detentions of peaceful protesters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Delhi Police file FIRs over the CJP protest?
Police said protesters attempted to forcibly stage demonstrations around Jantar Mantar on Saturday despite denied permission. Officials cited incidents of assault on police personnel, obstruction of official duties, taking the law into their own hands, and violations of restrictions imposed on public gatherings as the basis for the more than 20 cases.
What is an FIR, and what happens after one is filed?
A First Information Report is the document police file to formally begin a criminal investigation in India. Registering an FIR does not establish anyone's guilt; it starts the investigation process, after which police gather evidence and may file a chargesheet. Allegations are then tested in court, where responsibility is determined in accordance with the law.
What is the assault video the police are probing?
On Sunday afternoon, Delhi Police said they were taking suo motu cognisance of a video on social media showing four men assaulting a male protester. The force said all four individuals had been identified and traced, that the Kamla Market police station had initiated legal proceedings, and that further legal action was underway.
Were the CJP leaders named in the FIRs?
No names have been publicly released in connection with Sunday's FIRs so far. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were held under preventive arrest on Saturday — not criminal charges — and released by an executive magistrate on Sunday morning.
How does this relate to the Supreme Court's Sunday orders?
The court's special sitting ordered that people gathering peacefully must not be illegally detained, that barricades be reviewed, and that metro, rail and internet services function normally. Those orders govern how police handle fresh gatherings; the FIRs relate to alleged offences during Saturday's protest and will be investigated separately.
What happens next in the CJP protest case?
CJP leader Ajinkya Shinde was to address the media at 2 pm on Sunday, and a Congress delegation planned to meet the Chief Justice of India in the evening. The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to respond to the petitions by Tuesday with a detailed compliance report, including a station-by-station account of barricading.