New Delhi: The Delhi Police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, and several other party members for allegedly entering the Jantar Mantar area without authorisation on Tuesday. The police action comes just a day after the site was officially denotified as a designated protest venue.
According to police sources, the FIR includes sections related to trespassing, violating prohibitory orders, and an alleged breach of a peace bond previously signed by the leaders.
The dramatic chain of events began early Tuesday morning when CJP activists, including Das, Ranka, and Ajinkya Shinde, arrived at the heavily barricaded Jantar Mantar. Attempting to bypass the restrictions, the leaders were seen scaling the gates to enter the restricted zone. They raised slogans demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar before being quickly detained by security personnel. According to the CJP, at least 11 members were taken into custody and shifted to the Jaffarpur Kalan police station.
The CJP’s legal wing member, Ratna Singh, subsequently alleged that the detained individuals were being barred from consulting their legal representatives by the Station House Officer (SHO), and their mobile phones had been confiscated.
The ongoing standoff highlights the escalating tension over protest rights in the national capital following Jantar Mantar’s denotification. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke defended the activists’ actions, characterising the entry as a move to “reclaim” Jantar Mantar. Dipke firmly stated that the administration’s decision to strip the location of its designated protest site status would not weaken the organisation’s resolve to continue its agitation.
Prior to his detention, Saurav Das had issued an ultimatum to the authorities regarding their pending request for a peaceful demonstration against the CEC over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. “We have given them 24 hours to give us a date,” Das stated, warning that the party would announce a march if the police failed to respond within the deadline.
The situation remains tense as the CJP continues to press for permission to demonstrate, while the Delhi Police maintains strict restrictions on access to the former protest hub.