Brief

CJP founder accuses Delhi police of delaying release of detained leaders

The Cockroach Janata Party claims the state is deliberately postponing court proceedings for two detained leaders.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:46:22 GMT

Founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), Abhijeet Dipke, alleged on X that Delhi authorities are deliberately delaying the release of party leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, despite a lack of legal grounds for continued detention.

What happened

Ranka and Das were taken into five days of judicial custody on October 14 after climbing over the locked gates of Jantar Mantar, a site that had been denotified as a protest venue. Their arrest followed a flag‑waving protest on October 13. The hearing for their bail was scheduled for noon on October 18, but activist Ratna Singh reported that the Assistant Commissioner of Police, also acting as the Special Executive Magistrate, had not arrived by 4:42 pm, causing the hearing to be postponed.

What the reports add

According to the News18 article, Singh said four sureties offered for the leaders were rejected on “vague grounds,” and she claimed that people with FIRs linked to the protest were being treated as having criminal antecedents. The piece also notes that Dipke’s own bail was granted on October 18, yet he said the party would regroup only after Ranka and Das are released.

What was said

Dipke wrote on X, “The state is deliberately prolonging Ashu and Saurav’s illegal arrest by using every dirty trick in the book to delay court proceedings and prevent their release.” Singh posted that she had been waiting at the police station since 11 am on the day of the hearing and that the police had not presented any legal justification for the continued detention.

How it came about

The arrests stem from a protest at Jantar Mantar where CJP members attempted to unfurl the national flag and raise slogans. Earlier, on October 10, Dipke and the two leaders were detained at Delhi’s IGI Airport before a scheduled protest, and on October 16 Dipke was detained minutes before a flag‑waving rally in Central Park. Amnesty International India has called for the leaders’ release, citing violations of the right to peaceful assembly.

Key facts

Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were taken into five days of judicial custody on October 14 after entering Jantar Mantar. (news18.com)
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was granted conditional bail on October 18. (news18.com)
Activist Ratna Singh said the Assistant Commissioner of Police did not appear for the bail hearing scheduled at noon on October 18. (news18.com)