Saurav Das, Ranka sent to 5-day judicial custody; Shinde released on personal bond

Cockroach Janata Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five-day judicial custody in the Jantar Mantar trespassing case, while Ajinkya Shinde was released on personal bond. They were detained during a protest against alleged electoral roll irregularities

New Delhi: In connection with the Jantar Mantar trespassing case, Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have been sent to five-day judicial custody on Wednesday, while Ajinkya Shinde was released on personal bond, CJP’s legal affairs head Ratna Singh announced.

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 “trespass, bond violation, obstruction of public official’s duty, etc”. Das, Ranka and Shinde were produced before a magistrate at Mandir Marg in New Delhi on Wednesday morning.

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“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,” Ratna Singh said in a post on X.

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.