CJP Leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka Sent to Five-Day Judicial Custody
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convenors Saurav Das and
Ashutosh Ranka have been remanded to five days of judicial custody and lodged
in Tihar Jail following their detention on October 13, after a group of
activists entered the barricaded Jantar Mantar site and unfurled the national
flag, according to the account provided.
The incident has intensified debate over the right to
protest, restrictions on public demonstrations in the national capital and the
symbolism of the Tricolour. Police say the case concerns alleged unauthorised
entry and violations of restrictions, while CJP leaders argue that the action
is an attempt to suppress peaceful dissent.
How the
confrontation unfolded
According to the supplied account, CJP members had planned a
protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and
alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral
rolls. On October 10, Das, Ranka and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke were detained
preventively after arriving in Delhi from Mumbai. They were released the
following day on surety bonds of ₹50,000 each, with conditions to maintain
peace and good behaviour for one year.
After their release, the leaders said they would continue
their campaign and criticised the heavy police deployment. The account says
Jantar Mantar was formally denotified as a designated protest venue around
October 12, following recommendations for alternative sites and concerns about
public safety, traffic and facilities. Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD
Ground were identified as alternative locations.
Entry into the
restricted site
In the early hours of October 13, around 14 CJP members,
including Das, Ranka and national organisation in-charge Ajinkya Shinde,
allegedly entered the barricaded site. Police said the group accessed it
through a narrow lane near the Janata Dal (United) office, crossed private
premises and climbed a locked iron gate. Once inside, members unfurled the
Tricolour and raised slogans including “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande
Mataram”, as well as calls for the Election Commission chief to resign.
Police detained the group and seized their phones, the
account says. Two FIRs were reportedly registered at Connaught Place and
Parliament Street police stations, invoking provisions relating to trespass,
violation of prohibitory orders, breach of peace-bond conditions and
obstruction of public servants. The precise statutory provisions and
allegations should be checked against the FIRs and court records.
Court order
and custody
On October 14, Das, Ranka and Shinde were produced before a
Special Executive Magistrate at Mandir Marg. Police reportedly argued that the
two senior leaders had breached earlier bond conditions and could repeat the
conduct or encourage others to do so. Das and Ranka were remanded to five days
of judicial custody. Shinde was released on a personal bond and surety of
₹5,000, subject to conditions to maintain peace.
October 14 was also Ranka’s birthday, a detail CJP members
highlighted while criticising the custody order. The account says the leaders’
legal team is considering a challenge to the order.
Two sharply
different accounts
Police maintain that the action was prompted by entry into a
restricted site, alleged obstruction and possible breaches of earlier
conditions—not by the act of waving the national flag itself.
CJP leaders and supporters say the detentions criminalise
patriotism and peaceful protest. Founder Abhijeet Dipke described the action as
an attempt to silence criticism of the Election Commission, while party
statements argued that dissent should not be treated as a crime. These are the
party’s allegations and have not been independently established in this report.
A wider
dispute over protest space
The confrontation comes amid political debate over
electoral-roll revision and access to public spaces for demonstrations. Critics
of the site’s denotification say moving protests away from central Delhi could
weaken public visibility; authorities, according to the account, cite public
order, traffic management and facilities as reasons for the change.
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