Cops bid to arrest student leader Aishe Ghosh, CPI-M cries foul

A Delhi Police team allegedly entered the headquarters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) in New Delhi on Tuesday to “execute a non-bailable warrant” against student leader Aishe Ghosh, triggering a confrontation with party leaders

A Delhi Police team allegedly entered the headquarters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) in New Delhi on Tuesday to “execute a non-bailable warrant” against student leader Aishe Ghosh, triggering a confrontation with party leaders.

Police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the warrant had been issued in connection with a 2021 protest outside Bangalore Bhawan.

Police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the warrant had been issued in connection with a 2021 protest outside Bangalore Bhawan. “A non-bailable warrant was issued against Ghosh in the case and the next date of hearing is July 30. The team had gone to execute the warrant,” an officer said.

CPI-M leaders, however, accused the police of acting in violation of established procedures. Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas said he and other party leaders confronted the police team after it entered the party office.

“What blatant arrogance... Police arrived to make arrests wearing neither uniforms nor nameplates, and barged into a political party office without permission,” Brittas said, alleging that one woman police officer was not in uniform. He claimed the move was retaliation against Ghosh, the former JNU Students’ Union president and an SFI leader, for her role in the recent protests in central Delhi.

In a post on X, Brittas alleged that the Centre was threatening participants of the Jantar Mantar demonstrations with imprisonment. “What blatant arrogance… Police are arriving to make arrests wearing neither uniforms nor nameplates, and the Delhi Police have barged into a political party office without permission,” he wrote on X.

CPI-M general secretary MA Baby also condemned the police action, calling it “an illegal attempt and a dangerous assault on democratic norms”. He alleged that the police team arrived in a private vehicle and that some personnel were not in uniform.

The party contended that the action violated the Supreme Court’s 1997 guidelines on arrests, which require police personnel carrying out arrests to wear clear identification and name tags, as well as the Delhi Police’s standard operating procedure.

A Delhi Police spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations. The police team left the CPI-M office without making any arrest.