Delhi Police arrest Cockroach Janta Party's Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, Ajinkya Shinde in Jantar Mantar case, to be produced before court

Delhi Police have arrested Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) activists Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde in connection with an alleged trespassing incident at Jantar Mantar, according to CJP member Ratna Singh. The arrests come a day after authorities de-notified the site as a designated protest location. Police sources said the activists were placed under "preventive arrest". A case was registered after they allegedly attempted to enter Jantar Mantar, with charges reportedly including trespass, violation of bond conditions and obstruction of a public servant in the discharge of duty.

Singh said the three activists would be produced before a court on Wednesday (Oct 14). In a series of posts on X, she alleged that the detainees had been denied access to their lawyers and that their detention had been carried out without initially informing them of the grounds.

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CJP alleges denial of access to lawyers

In one post, Singh said the activists were being held at Parliament Street Police Station and were expected to be produced before the court in the morning. She also raised the possibility of judicial custody at Tihar Jail.

Singh later posted an update at 5:38 am, saying the activists were likely to be produced before the SEM at Mandir Marg Police Station within an hour. She added that the 24-hour period since their detention was nearing its end.

The CJP member accused Delhi Police of acting on directions from senior authorities and alleged that lawyers and volunteers had been prevented from meeting the detained activists despite repeated attempts. “We are currently witnessing the Delhi Police operating according to a specific 'rulebook', one dictated by orders from above. They set the law aside to follow this rulebook,” Singh said.

She also questioned who was issuing the alleged instructions, claiming police officers at the site had repeatedly referred to orders from higher authorities.

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Singh calls arrests illegal, alleges restrictions on protests

Singh described the arrests as illegal and denied that the alleged offences cited against the activists had taken place. She accused the authorities of using detention to discourage demonstrations. “Recent arrests are illegal; no information was provided, and none of the alleged offences cited in the charges actually took place,” she said.

She further alleged that people visiting public spaces were being detained as designated protest locations were de-notified. Singh contrasted the police action against demonstrators with what she described as a failure to prevent criminal activity elsewhere in the capital. “The Delhi Police is being used as a puppet, and they are dealing very harshly with peaceful protesters, which is not right,” she said.

Arrests amid CJP agitation against Chief Election Commissioner

The latest arrests come amid continuing protests by CJP and opposition groups over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and demands concerning Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.