Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke’s paternal grandmother, Savitribai Dipke, died at the family’s ancestral home in Santuk Pimpri village in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district on Saturday, hours after he was detained by Delhi police in New Delhi.
Savitribai (85), who was suffering from age-related ailments, breathed her last at around 11:30 am. She had been unwell for over a month and had earlier been hospitalised in Hingoli weeks ago.
The family remains uncertain whether Dipke will be able to attend her last rites, as they have been unable to contact him following his detention in New Delhi.
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Deep Dive
Who was Abhijeet Dipke’s grandmother, and when did she die?
Why was Abhijeet Dipke’s family unsure if he could attend his grandmother’s last rites?
Did Delhi Police give Abhijeet Dipke the option to return for his grandmother’s last rites?
‘Have informed his friends’: Abhijeet Dipke's father
Dipke’s father, Bhagwanrao Dipke, who was in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, told the media that the family had been unable to establish contact with him and did not know whether he would be able to return in time for the funeral.
“I have informed his friends, but have yet to hear back from them. We have been unable to contact Abhijeet, and he may not be able to come,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“I have informed his friends, but have yet to hear back from them. We have been unable to contact Abhijeet, and he may not be able to come,” he said.
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‘He should come’: Abhijeet Dipke's mother
Dipke’s mother, Anita, expressed hope that her son would be able to attend his grandmother’s last rites. She recalled that he had spent time with Savitribai in hospital on August 15, speaking to her for more than an hour.
“He should come, but we do not know whether he will prioritise the country or come to pay his last respects to his grandmother,” she said.
Anita said she had informed Ajinkya Shinde, whom Dipke named in a pre-recorded video to carry forward the protest. Shinde told the family that he could not inform Dipke for the time being. Soon after hearing the news, the family left for their ancestral home to attend to the last rites.
Uncertainty remains
With the family unable to reach him and the party alleging that access had been denied, uncertainty remains over whether Dipke will be able to bid farewell to his grandmother.
CJP media in-charge Vijay Mallangi alleged that party members had not been allowed to speak to Dipke and that even his lawyers had been denied access to him.
“Delhi police has been claiming that they have informed Abhijeet about his grandmother’s passing away, but we do not know the reality as no one has been allowed to speak to him, not even our lawyers,” he said.
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Abhijeet Dipke detained
Dipke’s father also questioned the grounds for his son’s detention and accused the authorities of targeting him for exposing alleged corruption.
“Under what law was my son detained from the aircraft? How many rapists, terrorists and people who fled the country after cheating others have been detained from aircraft?” he asked. “The authorities have failed to track them down, yet they can detain a student. What serious crime has my son committed to deserve such treatment?” he added.
Bhagwanrao said that Dipke’s only fault was that he had exposed what he called the government’s theft and brought it before the people, something they did not want. “That is why he has been detained. I am not afraid. I have sacrificed my son for the country,” he said.