An FIR has been registered against members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) following their protest outside the Khar residence of MP Raghav Chadha, with party leader Ruben Mascarenhas confirming the development in a post on X. He stated that the case includes only bailable sections and that party members were served a notice under Section 35(3) of the BNSS before being released from Khar Police Station. Mascarenhas thanked supporters on behalf of AAP Mumbai, indicating that those detained had been allowed to leave shortly after legal formalities were completed.
The FIR follows a day of tension in Khar, where several AAP workers were detained ahead of a planned demonstration against Raghav Chadha. The protest was organised in response to Chadha’s exit from AAP and his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite heavy police deployment and denied permission, party workers gathered near the residence, prompting police action. Authorities had earlier stated that they would review CCTV footage and independent recordings before deciding on legal action, which has now resulted in the registration of the FIR.
AAP’s Mumbai unit has reiterated its allegations of selective enforcement, questioning why its protest was curtailed while demonstrations by rival parties were allegedly allowed to proceed. The party has criticised the administration under Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, claiming that peaceful dissent is being restricted. It maintains that the protest remained non-violent and disciplined, and described the police action as an attempt to suppress democratic expression.
Ruben Mascarenhas had earlier alleged that police personnel prevented him from leaving his residence and acted under instructions from higher authorities to stop the protest. He also criticised Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak, accusing them of betraying public trust. The protest comes amid a larger political shift, as Chadha and six other Rajya Sabha MPs — including Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikram Sahni and Swati Maliwal — recently resigned from AAP and joined the BJP, intensifying the political confrontation.