CJP leaders seek urgent Delhi High Court hearing over extended custody
Magistrate extends remand of Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after court notes disregard for legal boundaries at denotified protest site.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have approached the Delhi High Court seeking an urgent hearing against the extension of their judicial custody, following their arrest for scaling locked gates at Jantar Mantar.
The urgent petition was submitted during the High Court's Dussehra recess after a Special Executive Magistrate at Mandir Marg police station extended their remand by two days on Monday. In its order, the court observed that the duo demonstrated no respect for the law and noted police findings that they had used social media to entice the public to gather at a denotified protest site. The two leaders had previously executed a peace bond on 10 October.
Unauthorised protest and police action
Das and Ranka were taken into custody on 13 October after trespassing into the restricted Jantar Mantar area, where they displayed the national flag and raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Following their arrest, they were initially remanded to five days of judicial custody before law enforcement authorities transferred the case to the Crime Branch for detailed investigation.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai, former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai remarked on the development, noting that while he disagreed with the party's methods, public questions raised by political groups require clear government responses. He added that police actions must strictly adhere to statutory procedures to avoid giving additional momentum to demonstrative politics.
CJP pauses street demonstrations
CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh confirmed on social media that the party requested a night hearing to challenge the continued detention. Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke released a video message stating that Das and Ranka served as the primary operational decision-makers behind the party's recent activities.
Dipke also announced that the party will refrain from holding any public demonstrations until Diwali, instructing supporters to suspend street actions.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Remand extension duration | 2 days | Order of the Special Executive Magistrate, Mandir Marg Police Station |
| Initial judicial custody duration | 5 days | Delhi Police |
| Date of arrest | 13 October 2026 | Delhi Police |
| Date of peace bond execution | 10 October 2026 | Police investigation records cited in court |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Saurav Das | Co-convenor of the Cockroach Janta Party seeking urgent bail. |
| Cockroach Janta Party | Political organisation whose leaders were arrested for trespassing at Jantar Mantar. |
| Delhi High Court | Judicial body petitioned for an urgent night hearing. |
| Ashutosh Ranka | Co-convenor of the Cockroach Janta Party currently in judicial custody. |
