Delhi court jails CJP’s Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka for 5 days
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A Delhi court sent Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to five-day judicial custody after law enforcement placed them under preventive arrest for trespassing at Jantar Mantar.
Authorities also booked the two leaders alongside Ajinkya Shinde on charges including bond violation and obstruction of a public official’s duty. Law enforcement officers produced the three leaders before a magistrate at Mandir Marg in Delhi around 8 am on Wednesday morning.
In a post on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke confirmed that the court remanded Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das to five days of judicial custody, while criticizing the action and accusing the government of suppressing dissent.
According to Delhi Police sources, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka once again violated Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The sources added that as repeat offenders, the leaders allegedly breached the conditions of the peace bond they had previously executed, prompting the court to remand both individuals to judicial custody.
Law enforcement detained Shinde, Das, and Ranka on Tuesday morning after they crossed police barricades, entered Jantar Mantar, and shouted slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Meanwhile, CJP legal team head Ratna Singh announced in a post on X that authorities released Ajinkya on a personal bond. On an earlier occasion, authorities had released the leaders after they furnished a bond of Rs 50,000 alongside an undertaking not to engage in any breach-of-peace cases for one year.
Facing charges of trespassing and violating bond conditions, law enforcement is now treating them as repeat offenders.
Earlier on X, CJP legal team head Ratna Singh said, “Delhi Police arrests Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, and Ajinkya Shinde at Parliament Street Police Station in today’s Jantar Mantar case. Trespass, bond violation, obstruction of public official’s duty, etc.”
Singh revealed that police officers barred the three individuals from meeting their lawyers until late at night and transported them to Parliament Street Police Station at 3 am in a private van. Both Ranka and Das had previously signed a one-year peace bond after police detained them during a prior protest in the national capital on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police issued a press note on Wednesday saying on 13 October, Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, Ajinkya Shinde, and 11 other CJP members arrived at Jantar Mantar by allegedly entering through private property, despite authorities no longer designating the area as an approved protest venue.
Area police personnel intervened to halt their progress, but the protesters allegedly obstructed the officers in executing their official duties.
Police officers detained all 14 individuals and then bound them down under applicable legal provisions. Authorities explained that due to their alleged repeated attempts to disturb public order and break the law, officers arrested Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das, and Ajinkya Shinde under preventive provisions of law, while also taking into account their social media posts encouraging others to join unlawful activities.
Law enforcement produced the three before a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), where the SEM court concluded that serious apprehension existed that the accused would again break the law and instigate others if released on bail.
As a result, the court handed Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka a five-day judicial remand, while directing Ajinkya Shinde to execute a personal bond and surety of Rs 5,000 to maintain peace and good behavior for six months.
These arrests coincided with heightened security measures across Delhi as the CJP and other organizations staged demonstrations over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
On 11 October, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued an order designating Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground as official protest sites, while officially removing Jantar Mantar from the approved list.
CJP opposed this decision, arguing that shifting demonstrations away from the heart of the national capital diminishes the visibility and impact of public protests.
Source: NDTV (adapted)
