Uttarakhand High Court Slams State for Detaining Party Chief

The Uttarakhand High Court criticized the state government on July 21, 2026, following the detention of Uttarakhand Parivartan Party chief Prabhat Dhyani. Dhyani was intercepted by police at the Rishikesh Railway Station on July 19 after he announced on Facebook his intention to join youth-led protests by the Cockroach Janta Party and support activist Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

Although Dhyani was released from the Ramnagar Police Station within 24 hours, his associate, Lal Mani, petitioned the court to challenge the legality of the arrest. A bench consisting of Justices Ravindra Maithani and Siddhartha Sah described the state's actions as "gundagardi" (hooliganism). The court questioned the authority of the Uttarakhand Police to prevent a citizen from traveling to another state.

The court rejected government justifications citing national security and prohibitory orders in Delhi, asserting that those matters fall under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Police. The judges questioned whether police were acting to protect the image of the government rather than the constitutional rights of the individual. The court has now ordered the responsible police officer to file a formal response.