Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have been remanded to five days of judicial custody following their detention during a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, while party leader Ajinkya Shinde has been released on a personal bond.
The three were detained after allegedly crossing police barricades and raising slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They were produced before a magistrate at Mandir Marg around 8 am on Wednesday.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced the judicial custody of Das and Ranka, criticising the police action. Reports said the two allegedly violated prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and breached conditions of bonds furnished after an earlier protest. They were reportedly treated as repeat offenders.
The three leaders were booked on charges including trespassing, violating bond conditions and obstructing a public servant from discharging official duties.
CJP legal team head Ratna Singh alleged on X that the leaders were not allowed to meet their lawyers until late at night and were taken to Parliament Street Police Station in a private van around 3 am. She later confirmed Shinde’s release on a personal bond.
Das and Ranka had previously been released after furnishing bonds of Rs 50,000 each and undertaking to avoid any breach-of-peace incident for one year.
The detentions come amid protests by the CJP and other groups over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. On October 11, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar designated Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as protest venues, removing Jantar Mantar from the list of approved sites.
The CJP has opposed the decision, arguing that moving demonstrations away from central Delhi would reduce their visibility and impact.
