YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has alleged that he was “kidnapped” from his home in Gurugram by people in plain clothes before he could join the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) planned protest in Delhi. Rathee made the allegation in a video statement on Sunday, hours after being released in the early hours of the day.
Rathee was released at around 3 am and handed over to his family, according to officials. He had been taken from his residence in Kendriya Vihar Society, Sector 56, Gurugram, at approximately 9.30 am on Saturday, ahead of the CJP's proposed demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Authorities subsequently thwarted the protest.
In a post on X, Rathee also denied reports that he had given an undertaking to Gurugram Police. “I was not arrested or detained, I was KIDNAPPED,” he wrote in the caption of an Instagram post.
Rathee alleges force, injuries during removal from home
In his video statement, Rathee displayed what he identified as his Indian passport, rejecting reports suggesting that he was a foreign citizen seeking to participate in the demonstration.
“I am an Indian citizen, and I have the same rights as a common citizen,” he said.
Rathee alleged that the incident occurred on October 10 at around 7 am, while he was asleep. According to his account, his mother opened the door after noticing several people outside the house. He claimed that around 20 people in plain clothes entered the residence and that he did not recognise them as police officers.
“And before I could react, these people literally kidnap me. I am using the word kidnap here because this is not an arrest,” he said.
He alleged that the men had been sent to prevent him from attending the protest and described them as “goons” who were not wearing nameplates. Rathee said he was dragged out of his bedroom, taken down the stairs and injured in the process.
“They dragged me straight away and took me away. I mean, just imagine how a criminal is taken away. They dragged me from the bedroom. They took me down the stairs. I was badly injured here. There are such wounds all over my body,” he said.
These allegations were made by Rathee in his video statement. The circumstances surrounding the alleged use of force were not independently established in the account.
YouTuber calls situation an ‘unofficial emergency’
Rathee also alleged that he had not been allowed to meet his lawyer. Questioning the circumstances of his removal from home, he asked whether a democratic country could treat a citizen in such a manner for raising concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission.
“Have you heard of any democratic country where a common citizen who has not broken any law, who has only raised his voice for the truth, for the benefit of the country, who has demanded a better election commission, is taken from the bedroom of his house, kidnapped, his parents are beaten, and then taken away like this?” he said.
He described the situation as an “unofficial emergency” and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of turning India into a dictatorship.
“If this thing can happen to me, then it can happen to you, too. Think about it a little. For now, I am fine,” Rathee said.
He also thanked activist Sonam Wangchuk for threatening to go on a hunger strike if those detained during the protests were not released.
Rathee said he would continue speaking out on issues concerning the country despite attempts to silence him, ending his statement with “Jai Hind”.
CJP leaders released after being produced before magistrate
Meanwhile, CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were released on Sunday after being produced before an executive magistrate. They had been detained at Delhi airport on Saturday ahead of the planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
According to CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh, the three leaders were released on the condition that they would not “breach peace” for a year.
Their release followed a major security operation across Delhi on Saturday, during which more than 7,000 protesters were detained at different locations. The police action prevented demonstrators from reaching Jantar Mantar for the planned protest against Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission's electoral-roll revision exercise.
The detentions, including Rathee's removal from his Gurugram residence, have intensified the debate over the authorities' handling of the proposed demonstration and the right to peaceful protest.