Cockroach party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka jailed for 5 days, put in separate cells in Tihar

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have been placed in separate cells within Tihar Jail, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

"Saurav Das has been placed in Jail No. 2. Ashutosh Ranka has been placed in Jail No. 4," the sources said.

Das and Ranka have been sent to five-day judicial custody on Wednesday in the Jantar Mantar trespassing case, while Ajinkya Shinde was released on personal bond.

Advocate Abhisht Hela, representing CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde, speaking to IANS, said, "They have been sent to judicial custody for five days."

The three CJP members were put on preventive arrest for trespassing at Jantar Mantar, which has been de-notified as the designated protest site. They were booked for trespassing, bond violation and obstruction of public officials' duty. They were produced before a magistrate at Mandir Marg in New Delhi on Wednesday morning.

Advocate Abhisht Hela mentioned that the officers who serve as SEMs are of Superintendent of Police rank.

"They are senior police officers, not judicial magistrates. One very important point is that the order passed today was issued without the application of judicial mind. The laws laid down by the Supreme Court have been completely disregarded," he said.

"Another important point is that the authorities have started acting on presumptions. The court said that it believes they could do something, and on that basis, they have been sent to jail for five days. I will repeat what Ajinkya said: they have been sent to judicial custody for five days for raising the slogan 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and waving the national flag. This is deeply distressing and a black day for the country," Advocate Hela added.

Earlier, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, along with Das and Ranka, in a case related to the October 10 protest, were released after furnishing a bond of Rs 50,000 and on the condition that they will not be involved in any breach-of-peace cases for a year.

This time, Das and Ranka are booked for trespassing and violation of the bond conditions. They are being treated as repeat offenders.

The three CJP leaders were detained on Tuesday morning for crossing police barricades and entering Jantar Mantar, which has been de-notified as the designated protest site.

They were heading to protest against the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls. They were seen raising slogans against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, while trying to breach the police barricades.

Following this, all three were detained.

On October 12, Jantar Mantar was de-notified as the "designated" protesting site, Delhi Police said. New guidelines for protests were issued under Delhi Police Standing Order No. L&O/48/2026.

According to the Delhi Police, the decision was taken based on the recommendations of a Home Ministry committee.

Three new locations in Delhi – Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and East Delhi's CBD Ground – have been designated for protests.

Indo-Asian News Service