CJP’s Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka sent to five-day judicial custody in trespassing case

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained on Wednesday (Oct 14, 2026), a day after they were arrested along with 12 other party members, for allegedly entering Jantar Mantar, which Delhi Police had canceled as a designated protest site on Monday 22/12 (20/12).

The police have registered two first information reports (FIRs) against 14 members on charges of trespassing, disobeying official orders and obstructing police personnel on duty. Ajinkya Shinde, who was also remanded in custody, was released after furnishing a personal bail and surety bond of ₹5,000 with an undertaking to maintain peace and good behavior for six months, a police statement said.

According to the police, 14 members of the CJP, including Mr. Das, Mr. Ranka and Mr. Shinde, reached the Jantar Mantar in the early hours of October 13 by going through private premises. Police personnel deployed at the spot tried to stop them, but the group allegedly obstructed the personnel in the discharge of their duties.

The first FIR was registered at the Connaught Place police station under Sections 223(a), 332 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). These provisions relate to disobedience to the order of a public officer, misdemeanor domestic violence, and criminal conspiracy.

A second FIR was registered at the Parliament Street Police Station under Sections 221, 115(2), 132, 121(1) and 3(5) of the IPC. These provisions relate to obstructing a civil servant in the performance of official duties, voluntary bodily harm, assault or the use of criminal force to distract a civil servant from the performance of duty, voluntary injury to a civil servant to deter him from the performance of duty, and acts committed by several persons in furtherance of a common purpose.

Police said all 14 officers were bound in accordance with the law in their respective cases. Subsequently, Mr. Das, Mr. Ranka and Mr. Shinde were placed under preventive arrest for what the police described as repeated attempts to disturb public peace and break the law. Their attempts to use social media to incite others to similar activities were also taken into account, police said.

The three were produced before a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) where proceedings were initiated under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Section 126 empowers the executive judge to initiate proceedings if there is reason to believe that the person may breach the peace and to require the undertaking to keep the peace for a period of up to one year. Section 170 empowers the police to arrest a person without a warrant to prevent the commission of an otherwise preventable offence.

The police said the SEM court remanded Mr. Das and Mr. Ranka in five-day remand after considering the police report and the fear that they might repeat the alleged violations or encourage others to do so if released. Mr. Shinde was directed to maintain peace and good behavior for six months after furnishing a personal bond and surety of ₹5,000.

‘Unofficial State of Emergency’: Dipke

Reacting to the development, CJP founder Abhijit Dipke, speaking to the media in Maharashtra, accused the Narendra Modi government of imposing an “unofficial emergency” and questioned why party members were sent to judicial custody for their protest at Jantar Mantar.

“I want to tell Narendra Modi that if you want to declare emergency in the country, do it officially. Why are you running an unofficial emergency where people are being sent to jail for five days just for waving the national flag at Jantar Mantar?” he said.

“When did waving the national flag become a crime? Such things did not happen even during the Emergency. If you have the power, declare the Emergency officially. These people are cowards who are hiding behind the police,” he said.

Mr. Dipke claimed that Mr. Das, Mr. Ranka and Mr. Shinde have been detained since Tuesday (October 13, 2026) and have not been allowed to meet their lawyers. Referring to the remand of Mr. Das and Mr. Ranka, he said, “Saurav and Ashutosh were remanded in five-day judicial custody this morning. What was their crime?”

In a post on X, Mr. Dipke said the leaders’ “mistake” was “unfurling the tricolor at Jantar Mantar”.

“Show some courage @narendramodi. If you are so determined to crush dissent, have the courage to officially declare Emergency instead of hiding behind these cowardly tactics,” he wrote.

The detention came a day after the Delhi Police denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated site for protests and demonstrations, naming Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as alternative locations. The decision drew criticism from activists who argued that moving the demonstrations away from Jantar Mantar would make it harder to get the attention of political leaders and decision-makers.

The CJP and other groups are organizing protests demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the cancellation of the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls. The police insist that demonstrations are no longer allowed at Jantar Mantar after the cancellation of the venue notification.

Waving the tricolor is not a crime: Rahul Gandhi

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who took X, said: “Waving the tricolor at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime. Jailing young people for it is an act of cowardice.”

“Students. Youth. Journalists. Bloc INDIA. Different banners, one cause. All protests are one: citizens demanding their constitutional rights. Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will claim it,” he said.

Published – 14 Oct 2026 06:34 IST