Actor Imran Khan and partner Lekha Washington detained by Mumbai police during CJP protest crackdown

Actor Imran Khan and his partner, actor Lekha Washington, were detained by Mumbai Police on October 10 at August Kranti Maidan during a demonstration called by the Cockroach Janata Party. According to the second source, Lekha Washington also posted a video from inside the police vehicle asking followers to track their location. The actor shared a selfie from inside a police van with the caption stating he was going for a drive.

Police Stance And Wider Arrests

Mumbai Police stated that no permission was sought for the gathering at August Kranti Maidan, and even if it had been, high court rules restrict protests in the city to Azad Maidan. Party workers countered that they had emailed the police for permission but received no reply. Meanwhile, a larger police crackdown unfolded in Delhi ahead of a planned CJP demonstration, with thousands of people detained in the national capital, including figures like Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, and Neha Bora.

Core Demands And Prior Stances

The protests center on demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. This follows investigative reporting that other election commissioners raised procedural objections multiple times. Imran Khan has previously voiced strong support for student demonstrations and spoken out against police actions during campus unrest, arguing that true art must carry an artist's personal perspective and political honesty.

Context

Public demonstrations and police detentions often surround high-profile political protests in major Indian cities when local authorities restrict gatherings to designated spots like Azad Maidan. The Cockroach Janata Party's mobilization targets election commission procedures, drawing prominent voices from both politics and the film industry into debates over civil liberties and the right to protest.