Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have been remanded to five days of judicial custody following their detention by the Delhi Police. The action comes in the wake of an incident at Jantar Mantar, where authorities alleged that the leaders carried out a forceful entry into the premises, which has been de-notified as an official protest site.
The events leading to the custody order unfolded on October 13, when the two leaders were detained by law enforcement officials. This incident occurred just days after the pair had been released upon signing a surety bond of Rs 50,000, in which they undertook to maintain peace and good behaviour for a period of one year. According to police reports, the latest legal action involves allegations of trespass and obstruction of public servants, alongside claims that the leaders violated the conditions stipulated in their earlier release.
Another CJP functionary, Ajinkya Shinde, was also taken into custody during the October 13 incident. However, reports indicate that Shinde was subsequently released, with officials citing that it was his first instance of detention. While Shinde had reportedly signed a similar peace bond, the discrepancy in the custody status of the three men has become a focal point of the ongoing legal proceedings.
The CJP has been actively campaigning for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Prior to the Jantar Mantar incident, the party members had been detained by Delhi Police on October 10 directly from a flight. Following that initial detention, they appeared before an executive magistrate and were released on the aforementioned bond.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke confirmed the involvement of party members in the Jantar Mantar entry. In a social media post, Dipke stated that the members, carrying the national flag, entered the area before being intercepted by police. He also shared a video that appeared to show individuals climbing over a gate and raising slogans. Ashutosh Ranka also acknowledged the entry in a post on X, confirming that the group had entered the site.
The situation has highlighted the ongoing tensions regarding the restrictions governing public demonstrations in the capital. Delhi Police have tightened security across the city and have directed protest groups toward designated alternative locations, such as the Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground, and the CBD Ground in East Delhi. The de-notification of Jantar Mantar as a protest venue remains a critical factor in the legal arguments presented by the police.
As the legal case proceeds, the CJP has announced its intention to file a bail application in the local court. The court's five-day judicial custody order dictates that Das and Ranka will remain in jail for the specified period, unless a further judicial directive is issued. The current allegations do not establish guilt, and the matter is set to be resolved through the formal legal process, which will examine the specific breach of the peace bond and the nature of the alleged trespass.
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