Bombay High Court seeks response on alleged illegal Mumbai Police detentions

The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to respond to petitions alleging that the Mumbai Police illegally detained individuals during protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 10 and 11, 2026.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna heard cases involving several individuals who claim they were detained despite not participating in the protests, with some alleging they were taken from their homes. The court noted that while peaceful agitation is a fundamental right, it must be exercised peacefully and the credentials of protesters should be considered to ensure individuals with criminal backgrounds do not participate under the guise of innocent civilians.

The Advocate General for the State, Dr. Milind Sathe, stated that “nobody has been illegally detained” and maintained that police only acted to disperse a crowd that had blocked Nana Chowk without permission. The court has requested the State to file an affidavit through a senior officer regarding the allegations.