YouTuber Dhruv Rathee alleged that about 20 men in plain clothes removed him from his Gurugram home and held him without phone or legal access for over 20 hours ahead of a planned protest.
Rathee claimed he sustained injuries during the incident, described his experience as a kidnapping rather than a detention, and confirmed his Indian citizenship by displaying his passport.
The incident occurred prior to a planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar by the Cockroach Janata Party demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
New Delhi: YouTuber Dhruv Rathee on Sunday alleged that around 20 people in plain clothes took him from his Gurugram residence and moved him between police stations ahead of the planned protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi on October 10.
In a video posted on X, Rathee said the men entered his house around 7 am on Saturday while he was asleep and took him away before he could ask who they were. He alleged that he was denied access to a phone and was not allowed to contact his lawyer for around 22-23 hours. He also claimed he sustained injuries while being taken out of his bedroom.
“I was not detained, I was kidnapped,” Rathee said, questioning the manner in which he was taken away.
Scenes from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll irregularities. Photos: Malayala Manorama, PTI
Police personnel detain activists of various student bodies amid continued demonstration calls by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, in the Connaught Place area, New Delhi, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Photo: PTI.
Police personnel detain activists of various student bodies amid continued demonstration calls by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, in the Connaught Place area, New Delhi, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Photo: PTI.
Demonstrators shout slogans from inside a police vehicle after being detained during a protest demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll irregularities, in New Delhi, Saturday. Photo: PTI.
Police personnel detain a woman activist during a demonstration called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll irregularities at Connaught Place in New Delhi on Saturday. Photo: PTI.
Police personnel detain activists of various student bodies in the Connaught Place area, amid continued calls for demonstrations by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, in New Delhi, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Photo: PTI.
Scenes from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll irregularities. Photos: Malayala Manorama, PTI
Scenes from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll irregularities. Photos: Malayala Manorama, PTI
Scenes from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll irregularities. Photos: Malayala Manorama, PTI
Police detain a protester during a protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Delhi. Photo: Reuters
Security personnel detain protesters during a protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) seeking the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, near the protest site in New Delhi. Photo: Reuters
CPM leader Brinda Karat was detained by the Delhi Police during the protest demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. Photo: Josekutty Panackal/Manorama
CPM leader P K Sreemathy was detained by the Delhi Police during the protest demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. Photo: Josekutty Panackal/Manorama
A demonstrator shouts slogans from inside a police bus after being detained during a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), at Connaught Place, in New Delhi, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. Photo: PTI.
Police personnel detain activists of various student bodies amid continued demonstration calls by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, in the Connaught Place area, New Delhi, on Sunday. Photo: PTI.
Scenes from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll irregularities. Photos: Malayala Manorama, PTI
Security personnel stand guard at Ashoka Road following continued demonstration calls by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, in New Delhi, Sunday. Photo: PTI.
Addressing rumours about his citizenship, Rathee displayed his passport in the video and asserted that he was an Indian citizen. He also rejected claims that he had not intended to participate in the protest.
Rathee described the restrictions imposed ahead of the demonstration as an “unofficial emergency” and said he would continue to speak out on issues concerning the country. He further claimed that people were monitoring his movements and that he was unable to leave his house.
The incident came ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) planned protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10, demanding Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. (PTI inputs)
