CJP leaders Das, Ranka in 5-day judicial custody; Shinde freed on bond
Synopsis
Just days after Jantar Mantar was stripped of its status as Delhi's designated protest site, two CJP leaders who tried to demonstrate there against the Election Commission have been sent to five-day judicial custody — classified as repeat offenders for breaching bond conditions set after an earlier protest on 10 October.
Key Takeaways
Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) were remanded to five-day judicial custody on 14 October 2026 .
Ajinkya Shinde , the third detained CJP member, was released on a personal bond .
The trio was detained for crossing police barricades at Jantar Mantar , which was de-notified as a protest site on 12 October 2026 .
Das and Ranka are treated as repeat offenders , having previously been released on a ₹50,000 bond after the 10 October protest with a one-year breach-of-peace restriction.
Delhi Police has designated Ramlila Ground , Burari Ground , and CBD Ground (East Delhi) as the new protest venues under Standing Order No.
Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, leaders of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), were remanded to five-day judicial custody on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, in connection with the Jantar Mantar trespassing case in New Delhi. A third CJP member, Ajinkya Shinde, was released on a personal bond, CJP's legal affairs head Ratna Singh confirmed.
What Happened at Jantar Mantar
The three CJP leaders were detained on Tuesday morning after they allegedly crossed police barricades and entered Jantar Mantar, which had been de-notified as a designated protest site just days earlier. The group was reportedly heading to demonstrate against the Election Commission of India (ECI) over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls. Witnesses said they were heard raising slogans against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar as they attempted to breach the barricades. All three were subsequently detained.
Charges and Custody Order
Das, Ranka, and Shinde were produced before a magistrate at Mandir Marg in New Delhi on Wednesday morning. They were booked for trespass, bond violation, and obstruction of a public official's duty, among other charges. Das and Ranka are being treated as repeat offenders: both had previously been released after furnishing a bond of ₹50,000 each — following an earlier protest on 10 October — on the condition that they would not be involved in any breach-of-peace cases for a year. Their latest arrest is being framed as a violation of those bond conditions.
Ratna Singh said in a post on X: 'Saurav and Ashutosh sent to 5 days judicial custody. Ajinkya released on personal bond. Same grounds of arrest. Got to know that SEM has track record of punishing protesters.'
Jantar Mantar's De-notification and New Protest Sites
The arrests come in the wake of a significant administrative order. On 12 October 2026, the Delhi Police de-notified Jantar Mantar as the city's designated protest site, issuing fresh guidelines under Delhi Police Standing Order No. L&O/48/2026. According to Delhi Police, the decision was based on recommendations from a Home Ministry committee. Three new locations have been designated for public demonstrations: Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground in East Delhi.
Background: The October 10 Protest
This is not the first confrontation between CJP members and Delhi Police in recent days. On 10 October, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, along with Das and Ranka, were detained in a separate protest-related case and subsequently released on bonds of ₹50,000 each. The conditions of that release — barring them from breach-of-peace incidents for a year — are now central to Wednesday's judicial custody order, as authorities classify their 14 October actions as a direct violation.
What Comes Next
Das and Ranka will remain in judicial custody for five days, with their next hearing expected before a magistrate thereafter. The broader dispute over the SIR of electoral rolls — and the ECI's handling of it — is likely to continue drawing protest activity from civil society groups. Whether the de-notification of Jantar Mantar and the shift to alternate protest venues will hold up to legal scrutiny remains to be seen, as rights organisations may challenge the move in court.
Point of View
Within four days, de-notified the capital's most historically significant protest space and classified civil society demonstrators as repeat offenders. The timing, just as scrutiny of the SIR electoral roll review intensifies, invites the question of whether Jantar Mantar's de-notification was a routine administrative measure or a pre-emptive constraint on dissent. The shift to Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground dilutes the symbolic visibility that made Jantar Mantar effective — a point that courts may well have to adjudicate.
NationPress
14 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka sent to judicial custody?
They were sent to five-day judicial custody on 14 October 2026 for trespassing at Jantar Mantar and violating bond conditions set after an earlier protest on 10 October. Authorities are treating them as repeat offenders because their latest arrest breached a one-year peace bond under which they had been released.
Why did CJP leaders go to Jantar Mantar on 14 October?
They were protesting against the Election Commission of India over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls. They were reportedly raising slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar when they tried to cross police barricades.
When was Jantar Mantar de-notified as a protest site?
Delhi Police de-notified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site on 12 October 2026, citing recommendations from a Home Ministry committee. New guidelines were issued under Delhi Police Standing Order No. L&O/48/2026.
Where can protesters now demonstrate in Delhi?
Three new venues have been designated for protests in Delhi: Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground, and CBD Ground in East Delhi. These replace Jantar Mantar as the official locations for public demonstrations.
What happened to CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke?
Abhijeet Dipke was detained in the earlier 10 October protest case and was subsequently released on a bond of ₹50,000. He was not reported among those detained in the 14 October incident.
