The judicial custody of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das was extended by two days today. The two were initially handed a five-day judicial custody on October 14. They were arrested for entering Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, which was recently denotified as a designated protest site, by scaling its locked gates. They were detained on October 13 and sent to five days of judicial custody the next day. 

Both Ranka and Das were presented before a Special Executive Magistrate at Mandir Marg police station for the proceedings before being taken back to Tihar Jail. They will next be produced on Wednesday. 

“What we witnessed today was nothing short of a circus. An inquiry should be conducted into the way people’s liberty is being crushed and how things are being handled here. There was absolutely nothing presented today to justify such concerns. During the hearing and arguments, our advocates spoke entirely about the law. Not once did the other side provide any argument that could suggest there was any apprehension of future protests or any breach of peace,” the party’s legal head, Ratna Singh said. 

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“Throughout the proceedings, only provocative statements were made. Even the SDM had to wait for three hours and was on the phone the entire time. This is the first time I have seen something like this myself,” she added. 

The CJP has alleged that authorities were deliberately delaying proceedings to prevent the release of its leaders. The CJP has maintained that the two leaders entered the premises to unfurl the national flag and raise slogans, while the party has continued to challenge the decision to remove Jantar Mantar’s status as a designated protest site.

“The entire atmosphere here is deeply concerning. I think SDM courts should be abolished because they are compromised. They have rejected the sureties. Advocates were explaining the law here that if the sureties are under verification, that alone cannot be grounds to keep someone in judicial custody. There is no apprehension here, no threat, and there has been no call from our side. Yet they were sent to judicial custody for two days,” Ratna Singh said. 

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“I feel that this entire system is being used to crush us, but I don’t think it is going to succeed. The youth of this country are watching. They can see how power is being used and how the law is being misused to curb voices,” she added. 

Ratna Singh had earlier accused the Delhi Police and state authorities of obstructing the proceedings before the Special Executive Magistrate, alleging that a hearing scheduled for noon was delayed by several hours.

“Ashu and Saurav’s first crime was waving the Tiranga at Jantar Mantar. Their second crime? Refusing to back down. Even after five days in jail, they walked into court with smiles on their faces, their spirits unbroken,” CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke posted on social media. 

Ashu and Saurav’s first crime was waving the Tiranga at Jantar Mantar. Their second crime? Refusing to back down. Even after five days in jail, they walked into court with smiles on their faces, their spirits unbroken. https://t.co/wgrmxmBGnh

— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) October 19, 2026

The arrests took place against the backdrop of the CJP’s campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The CJP has alleged that the revision exercise threatens voters’ rights, making it a central issue in its protests against the Election Commission. It has also opposed the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site, arguing through its actions that the change should not prevent its members from demonstrating.

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On Saturday, the party said it had consulted senior advocate Kapil Sibal and warned that it would initiate legal action if Ranka and Das were not released by Sunday.

In a post on X, the CJP said: “If Ashu and Saurav are not released by tomorrow, we will pursue legal action against all those who deliberately ensured that they continue to be in illegal custody, especially when they have not committed nor charged with any offence.”

“The deliberate use of delaying tactics to keep them behind bars cannot go unchallenged. Those responsible will be held accountable,” the party added.