Published Oct 14, 2026 | 7:57 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 14, 2026 | 7:57 AM
The three were detained on Tuesday while attempting to “reclaim” Jantar Mantar, after it was de-notified as a designated protest site.
Synopsis: Delhi Police have booked Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde on charges including trespass, violation of bonds and obstruction of public servants after being detained while attempting to “reclaim” Jantar Mantar. The arrests come three days after Das and Ranka were released along with CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on 11 October, following nearly 24 hours in detention.
Delhi Police have booked Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde on charges including trespass, violation of bonds and obstruction of public servants in the discharge of their duties, the party’s legal affairs head, Ratna Singh, said on Wednesday, 14 October.
The three were detained on Tuesday while attempting to “reclaim” Jantar Mantar, a day after Delhi Police de-notified the central Delhi venue as a designated site for protests and demonstrations. They will be produced before the SCM Court on Wednesday morning, Singh said.
“Delhi Police arrests Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, and Ajinkya Shinde at Parliament Street Police Station in today’s Jantar Mantar case. Trespass, bond violation, obstruction of public official’s duty, etc. They’ll be produced before the SCM Court in the morning. A possibility of Judicial Custody (JC) in the Tihar Jail is possible,” she said in a post on X.
“They were not allowed to meet their lawyers till late at night. They were brought to Parliament Street PS at 3 am in a private van. Despite these illegal actions, their spirits are high.”
#BREAKING: Delhi Police arrests Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, and Ajinkya Shinde at Parliament Street Police Station in today’s Jantar Mantar case.
Trespass, bond violation, obstruction of public official’s duty, etc.
They’ll be produced before the SCM Court in the morning. A possibility of Judicial Custody (JC) in the Tihar Jail is possible.
They were not allowed to meet their lawyers till late at night. They were brought to Parliament Street PS at 3 AM in a private van.
Despite these illegal actions, their spirits are high.
@Cockroachisback
— Ratna Singh (@whattalawyer) October 13, 2026
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The arrests come three days after Das and Ranka were released along with CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on 11 October, following nearly 24 hours in detention. A Delhi court had ordered their release on the condition that they maintain peace for one year.
🚨Mark my words—The young gen will get Gyanu’s resignation and will reclaim our right to vote!
40,000+ paramilitary forces and police personnel. But they can’t stop the youth!
The right to protest is our fundamental right. No one can “denotify” it.
🇮🇳✊🏻🪳
@Cockroachisback https://t.co/1xI4nijaZH
— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) October 13, 2026
They had been detained a day earlier from an Air India flight upon its arrival in Delhi from Bengaluru. They had travelled to the national capital to lead a protest demanding the sacking of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Dipke had said the party would not withdraw from the protest. He also maintained that its leaders had not signed any bonds stating that they would back down from their agitation.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
