CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka remanded to 5-day judicial custody after Jantar Mantar protest

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 another party leader, Ajinkya Shinde, has been released on a personal bond.

The three leaders were detained after allegedly crossing police barricades, entering Jantar Mantar and raising slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They were produced before a magistrate at Mandir Marg in Delhi around 8 am on Wednesday.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced the judicial custody of Das and Ranka, criticising the police action and accusing the government of suppressing dissent.

According to reports, the two leaders allegedly violated prohibitory orders issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and breached the conditions of bonds they had previously furnished. They were reportedly treated as repeat offenders, leading to their remand to judicial custody.

The three leaders were booked on charges including trespassing, violation of bond conditions and obstructing a public servant from discharging official duties.

In a post on X, CJP legal team head Ratna Singh said Shinde, Das and Ranka had been arrested in connection with the Jantar Mantar protest. She also alleged 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.

Das and Ranka had earlier been released after furnishing bonds of Rs 50,000 each and undertaking not to be involved in any breach-of-peace incident for one year, following a previous protest in Delhi.

Singh later confirmed that Shinde had been released on a personal bond.

The detentions come amid heightened security in the national capital as the CJP and other groups protest against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

On October 11, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued an order designating Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as venues for protests and demonstrations. Jantar Mantar was removed from the list of approved protest sites.

The CJP has opposed the decision, arguing that shifting demonstrations away from central Delhi would reduce the visibility and impact of public protests.