New Delhi: The heart of the national capital witnessed high drama this week as youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists clashed with Delhi Police over the right to protest at Jantar Mantar, leading to multiple detentions, arrests and five days judicial custody for two top leaders.
The protest, which started as a demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, has now turned into a major political flashpoint between the opposition and the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
14 activists detained, 3 arrested for trespass at denotified site
According to Delhi Police, on the morning of October 13, a group of 14 CJP members allegedly entered the Jantar Mantar area through private premises, climbed locked gates and breached yellow metal barricades despite the site being officially de-notified as a designated protest venue a day earlier.
Police said the activists obstructed personnel on duty and raised slogans while unfurling the national flag. All 14 were detained initially. Two FIRs were registered — FIR No. 289/26 at Connaught Place police station and FIR No. 128/26 at Parliament Street police station under charges including trespass, obstruction, disobedience and criminal conspiracy.
Out of the 14, three leaders — Saurav Das (27), Ashutosh Ranka (30) and Ajinkya Shinde — were placed under preventive arrest at around 3 am on Oct 14 for alleged repeated attempts to disturb public peace and violate the law. Police also cited their alleged attempts to instigate others through social media.
Top CJP leaders sent to Tihar jail — 5 day judicial custody
In a midnight escalation, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were produced before a Special Executive Magistrate at Mandir Marg and remanded to five days judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail.
Delhi Police told the court that both had violated peace bonds signed on Saturday undertaking to maintain peace for a year, and there was serious apprehension they would repeat violations and instigate others if released. At the end of the five-day remand period, they could have their detention extended, be granted bail or be released.
The third leader, Ajinkya Shinde, was bound down to maintain peace and good behaviour for six months and released on a personal bond and surety of Rs 5,000. CJP legal head Ratna Singh alleged the leaders were denied access to lawyers for nearly 24 hours and brought to Parliament Street police station at 3 am in a private van.
Jantar Mantar sealed: police de-notifies iconic protest site
Jantar Mantar, for decades the designated site for peaceful protests in Delhi, has now been sealed off with barricades and guarded by security personnel. On Monday, Delhi Police removed it from its list of designated protest venues.
Police said the action against CJP came amid heightened security following a series of protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter list manipulation to benefit the ruling party — a charge the Election Commission has denied. CJP activists and opposition parties have defied a security crackdown to demand the resignation.
CJP members claimed they had reclaimed Jantar Mantar and their constitutional right to protest. Founder Abhijeet Dipke posted on X: “You cannot denotify the resistance.”
Rahul Gandhi and Congress back CJP — waving Tiranga not a crime
The crackdown has triggered strong reactions from the opposition. Parliamentary opposition leader Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress backed the detained men, who were detained after entering the site.
Congress and other opposition leaders including Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee questioned the arrests and defended the right to peaceful protest. Opposition parties have come out against the jailing saying waving the national flag is not a crime. Congress has accused the BJP government of crushing dissent and using preventive laws to silence youth voices raising questions on the Election Commission’s neutrality.
BJP government and Modi under fire — CJP alleges dictatorship
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke slammed the Centre, saying his co-convenors were jailed only for unfurling the tricolour. “I urge all patriots who love the tricolour to come to Central Park, Connaught Place at 5 pm on October 16 with the national flag. We will show that waving a tiranga is not a crime,” Dipke said.
The party alleged Delhi Police is operating by a rulebook from above and that the Modi government is scared of questions over voter roll irregularities. BJP has not officially commented, but sources in the government maintained that police action was purely based on law and order violations and not political targeting. The Election Commission continues to deny any wrongdoing in the SIR process.
Injuries and pushing reported during detention, fresh call for Oct 16
While Delhi Police has not officially reported injuries, CJP activists and eyewitnesses claimed that police personnel pushed and dragged protesters during the detention at Jantar Mantar on Oct 13. Student activists were seen shouting slogans during the protest demanding the resignation of India’s chief election commissioner.
Several activists complained of minor bruises during the scuffle when they allegedly obstructed police personnel in discharge of official duties. The legal team also alleged illegal detention conditions, adding to the political heat.
Unfazed by arrests, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has announced fresh protests on October 16 in Central Park at Connaught Place with a ‘Lehra do Tiranga’ call. He urged those who cannot come to Delhi to carry out tiranga marches in their cities and expressed apprehension that he may also be jailed.
With Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka still in Tihar Jail till Oct 18, their legal team is expected to apply for bail once the five-day remand ends. What started as a small youth-led outfit questioning the Election Commission has now become a larger debate on right to protest, nationalism, and electoral transparency.
