India
oi-Swastika Sruti
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has accused authorities of kidnapping him from his Gurugram residence, claiming that more than 20 people entered his home while he was sleeping and took him away without allowing him to contact his lawyer. Hours after his release, Rathee posted a video on X in which he showed his passport, asserted that he was an Indian citizen and strongly criticised the police action.
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee claimed he was kidnapped from his Gurugram residence on October 10, alleging forceful removal by over 20 individuals and denial of lawyer access before his release. He asserted his Indian citizenship and criticized the operation in an X video.
“I was not arrested or detained, I was KIDNAPPED,” Rathee said in the video, describing what he claimed happened at his home on Saturday, October 10.
The YouTuber was detained ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) planned protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The demonstration was called to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In his video, Rathee thanked people for supporting him and addressed speculation about his nationality. He also alleged that his phone was taken away, that he was denied access to his lawyer and that he suffered injuries while being removed from his home.
These are Rathee’s allegations. The full circumstances of the operation and the police response were not independently established in the information available.
‘I Am An Indian Citizen, I Was And Will Remain One’: Dhruv Rathee Shows Passport
Rathee began his video by thanking his supporters and addressing claims circulating online about his citizenship.
I was not arrested or detained, I was KIDNAPPED. Thank you for your support, heres the full story 👇 https://t.co/gcN8cAUOmY
— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) October 11, 2026
He said, “Sabse pehle main ye clear karna chaahunga ki Indian citizen hoon, tha aur rahunga.”
Translated into English, he said: “First of all, I want to make it clear that I am an Indian citizen, I was an Indian citizen and I will remain one.”
Rathee also accused sections of the media of spreading rumours that he held a foreign passport.
“Godi media wale afwah faila rahe hain ki main foreign passport holder hoon. Ye sab jhooth hai,” he said.
In English, he alleged: “The media aligned with the government is spreading rumours that I am a foreign passport holder. All of this is false.”
He displayed his passport during the video to support his statement. Rathee, who lives in Germany, has faced questions on social media about whether he is an Indian or German citizen.
His latest video was aimed at addressing those questions while also explaining his version of the events surrounding his detention.
‘More Than 20 People Entered My Home While I Was Sleeping’
Rathee then described what he claimed happened at his Gurugram residence on October 10. According to him, he was in his room and sleeping when around 20 people in plain clothes entered his home. He alleged that they pushed his mother aside while entering and then came directly into his bedroom.
Rathee said he woke up as the men entered and was taken away before he could react.
He claimed that the group did not give him time to understand what was happening or respond to their actions.
In his words, he was not arrested or detained but taken away by force. He repeatedly described the incident as a kidnapping and accused the people involved of behaving like criminals.
Rathee said he later learnt that more than 50 people, whom he described as police personnel or people working for an agency, had been present during the operation.
He alleged that he was dragged out of the house and did not even get an opportunity to put on his slippers before being placed inside a jeep.
“I was injured during this,” he claimed in his account of the incident.
Rathee’s description of the operation has not been independently verified. The precise number of personnel involved and the circumstances in which he was taken away would require confirmation from official records and the authorities.
Rathee Claims Phones Were Seized, Lawyer Access Denied
Rathee also alleged that his phone was taken away immediately during the operation. He said the phones belonging to his parents were also seized.
According to the YouTuber, he was taken to a police station and asked for permission to contact his lawyer. He claimed that he was not allowed to meet the lawyer or access his phone.
He further alleged that he was moved from one police station to another and made to remain there for around 20 hours.
Rathee said these restrictions prevented him from contacting people outside and seeking legal assistance during the period he was in custody.
“This was literally a kidnapping,” he said, repeating his allegation that the operation was not a lawful arrest or detention.
The legal status of the action and the specific circumstances of Rathee’s custody would need to be assessed against official records and the applicable law. His description represents his account of what happened.
‘Have You Ever Seen This Happen In A Democratic Country?’
Rathee questioned the treatment of an ordinary citizen who, according to him, was only trying to raise his voice.
He asked whether such an incident could happen in a democratic country and argued that people should be able to express their views without being subjected to such treatment.
He also referred to the detention of CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and party members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were detained after arriving in Delhi by flight ahead of the planned protest.
Rathee said the detention of the CJP leaders added to his concerns about the handling of the demonstrations.
He then made another claim about his situation after release. Rathee said he was doing fine but alleged that around 15 people had been placed around him. He described his situation as being under what he called “official house arrest”.
The claim about surveillance or house arrest was not independently confirmed in the information available.
Dhruv Rathee Directly Addresses PM Modi
In the video, Rathee also addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him not to intimidate people or suppress their voices.
” Narendra Modi se main kehna chahunga ki aap itna mat darao kisi ko, itna mat daba ke rakho,” Rathee said.
In English, he said: “I would like to tell Narendra Modi not to frighten people so much or keep them under such pressure.”
He continued by arguing that greater pressure would only make people speak more strongly.
“Aap jitna daraoge, utni tez humari awaaz aayegi,” he said, meaning: “The more you try to frighten us, the louder our voices will become.”
Rathee also referred to history and warned against attempts to become a dictator. He urged the Prime Minister to look at how the rule of leaders who tried to establish authoritarian control had ended.
These remarks formed the political part of Rathee’s response following his release.
Rathee Thanks Sonam Wangchuk For Supporting Protesters
Rathee also thanked climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had spoken about the detentions and threatened further action if those held were not released.
Rathee referred to Wangchuk’s statement that he would consider going on a hunger strike if the detained people were not released.
The CJP protest has attracted attention over demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The group and its supporters have alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls, while the allegations remain contested.
The proposed gathering at Jantar Mantar was denied permission by Delhi Police, which cited concerns about public safety, traffic and law and order.
Could Dhruv Rathee Be Detained Again?
Police sources reportedly warned that Rathee could face further action if he attempted to reach Jantar Mantar while restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) remained in force.
Section 163 allows an executive magistrate to issue orders in certain circumstances to prevent immediate danger or a disturbance of public tranquillity. Any further action would depend on the specific order in force and the applicable legal requirements.
Rathee was detained from his residence in Gurugram’s Sector 56 ahead of the protest and later released. Reports said thousands of people were detained during the wider security operation across Delhi, including political leaders, activists, students and other protesters.
His video has added to the debate over the police action, the right to peaceful protest and the treatment of those detained ahead of demonstrations. The key questions now concern the circumstances of Rathee’s detention, his allegations about access to legal assistance and the official explanation for the operation.
