RJD MP Manoj Jha Moves Supreme Court Against Delhi Police Actions During Protests Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar
RJD MP Manoj Jha has approached the Supreme Court alleging disproportionate use of force by the Delhi police during the October 10 protests at Delhi against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission.
Jha alleges that the police indulged in illegal detention/abduction/house arrests of unarmed protestors, student leaders, advocates, politicians and civilians, as well as "sexual harassment of women protestors".
He points out that another protest call has been issued by the Cockroach Janta Party for today, that is, October 11.
The plea, filed through AoR Fauzia Shakil, further alleges violation of the Court's order in CPI(M) leader MA Baby's case (that there should not be completed stoppage of train and metro services). It is stated that the authorities caused grave inconvenience to Delhi residents by shutting down Delhi's arterial roads, metro stations, trains, internet, etc.
The MP states that the Section 163 BNSS order was illegal and the police played a partisan role in not taking action against armed goons who threatened and assaulted unarmed protestors.
Seeking reliefs as an active participant of the protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Jha seeks declaration of the Delhi Police's actions between October 9-10, including illegal detention, internet suspension, shutting down of metro/train services, disproportionate use of force, as illegal.
The MP's plea alleges that over 6000 people, including former Chief Ministers, MPs, Senior Advocates, Advocates, unarmed students and unconnected civilians were detained by the authorities. "There are reports of cancellation of 250 trains ahead of the protests and 45 metro stations in Delhi were closed by the Delhi Police on 10-10-2026. The Police are reported to even have visited bus stations, inspected hotels and oyo rooms to ensure that protestors were not present there."
The plea has pointed out that mobile internet services were blocked by the authorities within a 4-km radius from the Janpath-Kartavya Path area. Portable phone jammers were also reported to have been installed even though "no statute gives Delhi Police a power to jam telecommunication".
Referring to the Court's decision in Ram Lila Maidan v. Home Secretary, Union of India, Jha avers that right to peaceful assembly is a fundamental right and Delhi police's action was manifestly arbitrary, illegal and violative of Article 19(1).
The plea adds that there have been widespread reports of removal of name tags by uniformed personnel, introduction of unidentified men in place clothes and self-proclaimed vigilantes, and sexual molestation/groping directed at women protestors, which are in direct contravention of Anita Thakur v. Govt of J&K.
"Several videos have surfaced on social media showing Bajrang Dal goons attacking protestors while the Police men are acting as by standers", the plea states.