The Delhi Police have officially arrested prominent leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), including Sourav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, and Ajinkya Shinde, in connection with a protest held at Jantar Mantar. The information regarding their arrest was shared by Ratna Singh, the Legal Head of the CJP, through a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The arrests follow an FIR registered by the police on Tuesday against the activists for entering the Jantar Mantar area without the required legal permissions.
Details of the Allegations and Arrest
According to the details provided by Ratna Singh, the three leaders were taken into custody at the Parliament Street Police Station. The charges leveled against them include unauthorized entry into a restricted area, violation of previously set bond conditions, and obstructing government officials from performing their duties. Singh alleged that the police action was conducted in a questionable manner, stating that the leaders were brought to the Parliament Street Police Station at 3 AM in a private van. She further claimed that the activists were denied access to their legal counsel until late at night. Despite these circumstances, she noted that the morale of the leaders remains high.
The Jantar Mantar Protest and FIR
The police action was initiated after the three activists managed to bypass heavy barricading to enter the Jantar Mantar protest site on Tuesday. Once inside, they reportedly raised slogans demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. It's important to note that Jantar Mantar was recently removed from the list of designated sites for holding protests and demonstrations. Consequently, Sourav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, and several other members of the CJP were initially detained on Tuesday morning for violating the restrictive orders currently in place in the area.
Legal Proceedings and Court Appearance
Following their initial detention, the three individuals were kept in a detention center. Under legal protocols, the police converted their detention into a preventive arrest before the completion of the 24 hour period. The arrested leaders are scheduled to be produced before the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) Court this morning. During the proceedings, the police are expected to inform the court about the violation of bail bond conditions by Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. Notably, both leaders had been granted conditional bail by the SEM Court just 4 days ago. Due to the breach of these conditions, the police may request stricter terms or judicial custody.
Potential Judicial Custody
There is a strong possibility that the court may send the CJP leaders to Tihar Jail under judicial custody (JC). The legal team for the activists is expected to argue against the arrest, citing the manner in which they were transported and the alleged lack of access to lawyers. The outcome of the hearing at the SCM court will determine whether the leaders will be granted bail again or if they will face a period of incarceration while the investigation into the Jantar Mantar incident continues.