Jantar Mantar Case: CJP Leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka Sent To Tihar For 5 Days

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have been lodged in separate cells at Tihar Jail after a magistrate remanded them to five-day judicial custody in a Jantar Mantar trespassing case, sources said on Wednesday.

Das is in Jail Number 2 and Ranka in Jail Number 4, while Ajinkya Shinde secured release on a personal bond.

Advocate Abhisht Hela, representing the three CJP members, confirmed the custody order and questioned its legality, alleging that authorities had disregarded Supreme Court guidelines.

Hela argued that Special Executive Magistrates (SEMs), who hold the rank of Superintendent of Police, are police officers rather than judicial magistrates. He alleged that the order lacked proper judicial reasoning and relied on assumptions about potential disturbances.

The lawyer said the five-day jail term followed the leaders’ chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and waving of the national flag, calling it a ‘black day for the country’.

Earlier, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, Das and Ranka secured release in an October 10 protest case after furnishing bonds of Rs 50,000.

The court barred them from involvement in breach-of-peace cases for one year.

Authorities now accuse Das and Ranka of trespassing and violating their bond conditions.

Police detained the three leaders on Tuesday after they crossed barricades at Jantar Mantar during a protest against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The protesters raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Separately, Delhi Police de-notified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site on October 12 under Standing Order Number L&O/48/2026, following recommendations from a Home Ministry committee.

Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi will serve as alternative protest venues.

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