Delhi Police arrested three CJP activists for disturbing public peace after they entered the Jantar Mantar protest site. Two were remanded to five days judicial custody, while one was bound down. The action has drawn criticism from activists and AAP.
Delhi Police on Wednesday said it arrested three Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists, citing alleged repeated attempts to disturb public peace, violate the law and instigate others through social media to engage in similar unlawful activities. Two of them, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, were remanded to five days of judicial custody, while Ajinkya Shinde was bound down for six months to maintain peace and good behaviour.
Details of the Incident and Arrests
According to a Delhi Police statement, the action followed an incident on the morning of October 13, when the three activists and 11 other CJP members allegedly entered the denotified Jantar Mantar protest site through private premises. Police personnel deployed at the spot intervened and attempted to stop them. However, the protesters allegedly obstructed police personnel in the discharge of their official duties, the police statement claimed. Police detained all 14 persons and registered two FIRs in connection with the incident. FIR No. 289/26 was registered at Connaught Place police station under Sections 223(a), 332 and 61(2), while FIR No. 128/26 was registered at Parliament Street police station under Sections 221, 115(2), 132, 121(1) and 3(5). Both FIRs were registered on October 13.
The police said the three activists were subsequently arrested under relevant preventive provisions of law, citing their alleged repeated attempts to disturb public peace and violate the law. “In view of their alleged repeated attempts to disturb public peace and violate the law, Ashutosh Ranka, Sourav Das and Ajinkya Shinde were arrested under the relevant preventive provisions of law. Their alleged attempts to instigate others through social media to engage in similar unlawful activities were also taken into consideration,” the statement read.
Legal Proceedings
The three were produced before the Special Executive Magistrate, where proceedings were initiated under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The magistrate remanded Das and Ranka to five days of judicial custody, with police citing details in their report and apprehensions that the two could repeat the alleged violations and instigate others if released on bail. Ajinkya Shinde, meanwhile, was bound down to maintain peace and good behaviour for six months on a personal bond and surety of Rs 5,000, according to the police statement.
Criticism Over Arrests
The arrests drew criticism from another CJP member Abhijeet Dipke, who questioned the action against the activists. “Since when has hoisting the Tricolour become such a grave sin in this country that you send people to judicial custody for five days for doing so?” Dipke said, accusing the government of imposing what he described as an “unofficial Emergency”.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj also criticised the action against Das and Ranka in a post on X, describing their remand as “DICTATORSHIP”.
Advocate Abhisht Hela, who represents the three activists, questioned the legal basis for the preventive action and alleged that it was being used to suppress dissent. (ANI)
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