Mumbai Police detained Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi on October 10, 2026, ahead of a planned protest at August Kranti Maidan in support of the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) demonstration in Delhi. The protest was aimed at demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.
According to police officials, Gandhi was picked up from Bandra and taken to the DN Nagar police station. His associates were also detained as they prepared to attend the gathering. Gandhi, however, said on social media that he had been arrested and expressed his agitation on the sudden detention. Police denied that he had been arrested and maintained that he was only detained. The proposed gathering was scheduled for 3.30 pm at August Kranti Maidan. Gandhi had appealed to people in Mumbai to join the protest in solidarity with the demonstration planned at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The Delhi protest called for action over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
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The question of permission also became a point of dispute. Mumbai Police said no application had been received for the gathering and no permission had been granted. A senior police official said the ground belonged to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and referred to a Supreme Court ruling that restricted the granting of permission for protests there.
However, an office-bearer of Gandhi’s organisation said a request had been sent to the police by email but no response had been received. The organisation also alleged that the police had warned Gandhi against holding the protest.
The detention came amid increased police vigilance across Maharashtra ahead of the CJP demonstration in Delhi. Police were monitoring activists and people expected to travel to the national capital for the protest. Reports said Mumbai Police had detained more than 200 people on October 9 to prevent them from travelling to Delhi. The CJP protest was called over concerns about changes to electoral rolls and demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Critics have questioned the revision process, while the Election Commission has maintained that the exercise is part of electoral roll verification.
The detention of Gandhi has brought attention to the restrictions placed on demonstrations in Mumbai and other parts of the country. While police have cited permission and security concerns, activists have raised questions about their ability to gather peacefully and express disagreement. The incident also raises a wider question: when a protest is planned in support of a demonstration elsewhere, how should authorities balance public order with the right to peaceful assembly?