Three leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) were detained following an unauthorized entry into Jantar Mantar, escalating tensions surrounding recent demonstrations in the national capital. CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were remanded to judicial custody in Tihar Jail for five days after allegedly violating their peace bonds and trespassing at Jantar Mantar, which was recently stripped of its status as a designated protest site. Meanwhile, their associate Ajinkya Shinde was permitted to walk free after completing bond formalities.
The trio was produced before the court of the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) on Wednesday, where the judicial custody orders were handed down. Delhi Police sources indicated that a formal case has been registered against them on multiple charges, including trespassing, violating prohibitory orders, breaching a peace bond, and obstructing a public servant from discharging official duties.
The detentions follow a series of protests organized by the CJP and other groups against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the controversial denotification of Jantar Mantar as a venue for demonstrations. On October 11, the Delhi Police Commissioner issued an order relocating designated protest sites to Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground, a move criticized by the CJP for diminishing the visibility of public dissent.
The developments triggered sharp reactions from the party leadership. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke launched a scathing attack on the government, accusing it of attempting to crush political dissent. In a strongly worded social media post, he questioned the detention of leaders whose only action was unfurling the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar, challenging authorities directly.
Earlier, legal team head Ratna Singh alleged procedural violations, claiming the leaders were brought to the Parliament Street police station under questionable circumstances and initially denied access to legal counsel. Despite the legal battles and custody orders, CJP representatives maintained that their resolve remains unbroken as the party prepares to hold an emergency meeting to chart its future course of action.
