The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led political group, finds itself in a deepening confrontation with Delhi authorities as the judicial custody of two of its senior members, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, has been extended. The party, which initially rose to national prominence during protests surrounding the NEET-UG examination, is currently spearheading a campaign targeting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls.
Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were originally detained by police on October 13. According to reports, the detention occurred after the two men allegedly scaled the locked gates of Jantar Mantar while carrying the national flag. At the time of the incident, Jantar Mantar had been de-notified as a designated site for public demonstrations. Following their initial detention, they were placed in judicial custody on October 14 for a period of five days.
On October 19, a Special Executive Magistrate ordered an extension of their judicial custody for an additional two days. The two leaders are scheduled to be produced before the magistrate again on Wednesday, October 21. Legal representatives for the CJP have formally challenged these proceedings. Ratna Singh, the party's head of legal affairs, has publicly questioned the rejection of sureties and characterized the ongoing legal actions against the pair as a misuse of the law.
Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the CJP, has maintained his commitment to the movement despite the ongoing detention of his colleagues. In statements shared via social media, Dipke expressed his support for Das and Ranka, emphasizing the personal sacrifices they made by leaving established careers to engage in political activism. Dipke has further stated that the party intends to challenge the extension of custody before higher judicial forums.
The current unrest follows a series of tensions between the CJP and the Delhi Police. On October 10, Dipke, along with Das and Ranka, was detained after arriving on an aircraft in Delhi ahead of a planned protest demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner. Although they were released by an Executive Magistrate on October 11, the release was granted under the condition that they maintain peace and good behaviour for a period of one year.
Tensions escalated further on October 16 when the CJP announced a protest event titled 'Lehra Do Tiranga' at Central Park in Connaught Place. Authorities prohibited the rally, and Dipke was served a notice. During the preparations for the event, the CJP founder was detained again before eventually being released. Despite these interventions, the party has continued to oppose restrictions on public demonstrations and has vowed to keep its current campaign active.
The party's focus has evolved significantly since its inception in May 2026. Initially, the CJP mobilized support by highlighting alleged irregularities within the NEET-UG examination system, a movement that gained momentum online and eventually contributed to the resignation of then-Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Having shifted its mandate, the group now demands greater transparency in the appointment process of chief election commissioners and is calling for the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, citing grievances with the recent electoral roll revision process.
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