The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Sunday, 11 October 2026, formally distanced itself from a habeas corpus petition circulating on social media that purportedly sought the release of its detained leaders from Supreme Court. Ratna Singh, the party's legal affairs head, clarified via a post on X that the petition was not filed by the CJP and that the party had no plans to approach the apex court over the alleged detentions in New Delhi.

The Denial and the Disputed Petition

Singh posted directly on X, tagging a petition that had been shared by a legal news platform on the same platform. 'Pls note - This petition is not filed by @Cockroachisback. We are not approaching the Supreme Court, and no habeas corpus petition has been approved by the CJP's legal team,' she stated.

The disputed petition, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, had sought a writ of habeas corpus directing authorities to produce before the court all persons allegedly detained in connection with the CJP's proposed demonstration at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on 10 October 2026, and to release those whose custody was not authorised by law. Singh categorically asserted the document did not originate from the party.

Mass Detentions on Saturday

Singh's clarification came a day after sweeping detentions across the capital. According to reports, over 3,000 anti-Chief Election Commissioner protesters — including CJP's Abhijeet Dipke and prominent political figures such as Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal — were detained on Saturday, 10 October 2026, as law enforcement threw what was described as an unprecedented security cordon around New Delhi.

The security measures effectively broke up the planned agitation at Jantar Mantar into several smaller, scattered gatherings across the city. CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das, and Ashutosh Ranka were reportedly detained around 10:30 am IST by police at Indira Gandhi International Airport while en route to the protest venue.

Why the Protest Was Called

The CJP's demonstration was directed at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protesters were demanding Kumar's resignation, a call that CJP leader Ajinkya Shinde reiterated on Sunday, announcing that demonstrators would march again to Jantar Mantar and would 'rest only after the CEC's resignation.'

Authorities Had Denied Permission

Authorities had earlier refused permission for the demonstration, citing the risk of public disorder. Officials imposed internet restrictions, roadblocks, and traffic diversions in anticipation of large crowds — measures reminiscent of those taken ahead of the CJP's July 2026 protest at Jantar Mantar, which had reportedly turned violent. This is the second major attempt by the CJP to stage a large-scale demonstration at the same venue within months.

What Happens Next

With CJP leadership vowing to continue protests and the party simultaneously ruling out a Supreme Court intervention, the standoff over the SIR process and the CEC's position is set to intensify. The question of whether the detained individuals remain in custody or are released without charge will likely shape the party's next move and the broader political temperature in the capital.