CJP Protest Live: Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das Sent to 5-Day Judicial Custody After Jantar Mantar Protest

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were sent to five days of judicial custody on Wednesday, October 14, following their detention during a protest at Jantar Mantar, according to The Times of India. The case has brought renewed attention to restrictions on demonstrations in the national capital and the dispute over the movement’s campaign concerning electoral rolls.

The two leaders were among a group of CJP members who allegedly crossed barricades and entered the protest site on Tuesday, October 13. According to The Indian Express, the group accessed the area through a narrow lane behind the Janata Dal (United) office, climbed over a locked iron gate and unfurled the Indian national flag before raising slogans. Police detained 14 people in connection with the incident, the newspaper reported.

Police cite alleged trespass and breach of peace bond

According to The Times of India, police registered a case involving allegations of trespassing, violation of prohibitory orders, breach of a peace bond and obstructing a public servant from performing official duties.

The report said Ranka and Das had previously signed bonds undertaking to maintain peace for one year after being detained during an earlier protest. Their subsequent participation in the Jantar Mantar demonstration has become a key element of the latest police action. These are allegations reported in connection with the case, not findings of guilt.

Why has Jantar Mantar become the centre of the dispute?

The immediate confrontation follows a change in the designated venues for demonstrations in Delhi. According to The Times of India, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued an order on October 11 naming Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as venues for protests, after which Jantar Mantar was removed from the list of designated protest sites.

CJP has criticised the decision, arguing that moving demonstrations away from the political centre of the capital would reduce their visibility. The organisation had been seeking permission to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The dispute therefore extends beyond the detention of individual activists. It raises questions about how authorities regulate demonstrations, what conditions protesters must follow and how political movements can make their demands heard while complying with applicable restrictions.

Abhijeet Dipke criticises the action

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke reacted angrily after Ranka and Das were placed in judicial custody. In the statement quoted in the supplied report, he questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the handling of dissent and argued that the government was attempting to suppress protest.

Dipke's remarks reflect the organisation's position on the police action. They should be understood as political criticism, rather than an independently established finding about the government's motives.

CJP has continued to challenge the restrictions surrounding its demonstrations. Earlier coverage by The Indian Express and NDTV documented the movement's calls for supporters to proceed towards Jantar Mantar and its criticism of the wider security response to the protests.

Ajinkya Shinde reportedly released after furnishing a bond

Ajinkya Shinde, another CJP leader, was reportedly released after furnishing a one-year bond, according to the supplied account. Following his release, Shinde criticised the government and indicated that the organisation would discuss its next steps at a meeting.

The precise terms of his release and the latest procedural status of his case should be verified against court records or an official police statement before publication.

CJP's electoral-roll campaign remains at the heart of the protest

The movement's wider campaign concerns alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls and demands accountability from the Election Commission. CJP has called for Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, while the protest has unfolded amid broader political disagreements over the SIR process and claims concerning voter-list deletions.

The allegations surrounding electoral-roll changes remain politically contested. Claims about the scale, causes and impact of deletions should be attributed to the parties making them and assessed against official Election Commission data and relevant legal proceedings.

For now, the five-day judicial custody order marks a new development in the confrontation between CJP activists and Delhi Police. The next developments are likely to depend on court proceedings, the authorities' response to the protest and the organisation's decision on its future campaign.