A Delhi court has sent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to five days of judicial custody. They were lodged in Tihar Jail on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Delhi Police say the two entered Jantar Mantar a day earlier, even though it had just been removed from the city’s list of protest sites, and that they broke the peace bonds they had signed days before.
The CJP says the leaders were arrested for raising the national flag. The case comes at a tense time, with a run of protests in the capital over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
What police say happened on October 13
According to a Delhi Police statement, Das, Ranka, their colleague Ajinkya Shinde and 11 other CJP members entered Jantar Mantar on the morning of October 13 by going through a private property. Police say officers at the spot tried to stop them, and that the group obstructed them in their duty.
PTI reports that the group breached barricades, raised slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and put up a national flag. LiveLaw reports that they scaled locked gates and barricades while holding the Indian flag.
Police say all 14 people were detained. Das, Ranka and Shinde were then placed under preventive arrest.
Court order and key details
The three were produced before a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) on Wednesday morning. Here is what is known so far:
- Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka: Sent to five days of judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail.
- Ajinkya Shinde: Bound down to keep the peace and maintain good behaviour for six months, and released on a personal bond and a surety of ₹5,000, according to police.
- Court’s reasoning (as described by police): The magistrate looked at the preventive police report, the activists’ repeated violation of the law, and a serious fear that they would break the law again and push others to do the same if released.
- Legal steps: Police say proceedings were started under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Police also say two FIRs were filed. One is at Connaught Place Police Station, under Sections 223(a), 332 and 61(2). The other is at Parliament Street Police Station, under Sections 221, 115(2), 132, 121(1) and 3(5). The charges mentioned in reports include trespass, breaking prohibitory orders, breach of a peace bond and obstructing a public servant. LiveLaw adds unlawful assembly to the list.
Police also said they took into account the leaders’ alleged attempts to get others to join similar acts through social media. The CJP has not been quoted in the reports we checked on this particular claim.
How the case got here
The trouble began over the weekend. PTI reports that Das and Ranka signed bonds to keep the peace for a year after they were detained on Saturday, October 10. LiveLaw also reports that the CJP leaders were detained earlier from their flight just after landing in Delhi, as they were protesting against Gyanesh Kumar, and that an SEM court then released them on a bond not to disturb the peace.
On Monday, October 12, Das and Ranka spoke to reporters outside Parliament Street Police Station about permission and security clearance for the party’s demonstrations, according to a photo caption by The Wire.
That same day, Delhi Police made public an order removing Jantar Mantar from its list of approved protest venues. The notice, signed by Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, said the Union Home Ministry had formed a committee to look at other venues and that the decision followed its advice. Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi were named as alternatives.
Business Standard reports that the decision came after the CJP and other groups called for protests at Jantar Mantar and other parts of central Delhi. Their main demand was the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls.
The two sides of the story
Delhi Police: The group trespassed into a protest site that was no longer approved, obstructed officers, and had already promised to keep the peace. Police say there was a risk the leaders would repeat the offence if released.
CJP: Party founder Abhijeet Dipke wrote on X, “Their fault? Unfurling the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar.” He also accused the Centre of crushing dissent. Party legal affairs head Ratna Singh said the leaders were not allowed to meet their lawyers until late at night, as reported by LiveLaw.
These are claims by each side. The court has so far ruled only on whether the two should stay in custody for now, not on whether they are guilty of any offence.
Why it matters
Jantar Mantar has been Delhi’s best-known protest spot for over 30 years. It began to be used for protests in 1993, after gatherings at the Boat Club lawns were banned. It later got formal recognition under a Delhi Police standing order in April 2022.
The site has hosted some of the country’s best-known protests. These include Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption fast in 2011, the protests after the 2012 Delhi gang rape, and the wrestlers’ protest in 2023. Business Standard also notes that this year the CJP led student protests there over the NEET-UG paper leak, followed by the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
There is a legal side too. In 2018 the Supreme Court refused to allow a blanket ban on protests at Jantar Mantar and the Boat Club area. It said the right to protest has to be balanced with the rights of residents, and that protests can be controlled by rules on how they are held and how many people take part. That same ruling also says people do not have an unlimited right to protest at any place they choose.
The present case tests that balance. It shows how the new restrictions will be enforced, and how far police can go with preventive action against groups that call for protests.
What happens next
Das and Ranka will remain in Tihar Jail for five days of judicial custody. The reports we checked did not give a date for their next appearance in court, and did not say whether they have applied for bail. We will update this report when that information is available.
Shinde is out on a personal bond and surety and must keep the peace for six months.
Police have increased security in the capital because of the series of protests by the CJP and other groups over the SIR and Gyanesh Kumar. More demonstrations are likely, and they will now have to take place at the new designated sites unless the order is changed.
Frequently asked questions
Who are Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka?
They are leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party. Reports describe Das as its chief spokesperson and Ranka as a national spokesperson.
Why were they sent to judicial custody?
Delhi Police say they entered Jantar Mantar on October 13, after it was removed from the list of protest sites, and broke the peace bonds they signed earlier. The Special Executive Magistrate ordered five days of judicial custody after hearing police on the preventive arrest.
What happened to Ajinkya Shinde?
He was bound down to keep the peace for six months and released on a personal bond and a surety of ₹5,000.
Is Jantar Mantar still a protest site?
No. Delhi Police announced on October 12, 2026 that it has been removed from the list of protest venues.
Where can people protest in Delhi now?
Police named Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi as the alternative sites.
When will Das and Ranka be released?
The custody order is for five days. No date for the next hearing or any bail decision had been reported at the time of writing.
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