CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody on October 14, 2026, in connection with an alleged trespassing incident at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. They are set to be lodged in Tihar Jail.
Delhi Police registered an FIR against the two leaders and other CJP members for allegedly entering the Jantar Mantar area without authorisation. The case includes charges related to criminal trespass, breach of bond and disobedience of orders.
Ajinkya Shinde, who was also placed under preventive arrest, was released on a personal bond.
The incident comes after Jantar Mantar was denotified as a designated protest site on October 12. CJP members entered the area as part of a protest against the decision and amid continuing demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
CJP Jantar Mantar Protest Leads to Arrests and Political Reactions
The judicial custody order has triggered criticism from CJP members and Opposition leaders.
CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said the CJP leaders had entered Jantar Mantar as a symbolic protest against the decision to remove its status as a designated protest site. He criticised their detention and argued that Jantar Mantar had long been associated with public demonstrations in Delhi.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke also criticised the government's action and alleged that restrictions on demonstrations were being used to suppress political dissent.
Ajinkya Shinde said the group had entered Jantar Mantar, waved the Indian national flag and raised slogans before police intervened. He said the party would continue its protests despite the arrests.
Delhi Police, however, registered the case over the group's alleged unauthorised entry into the area following its denotification as a protest site.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also commented amid the wider political confrontation. He said Congress respected the Chief Justice of India, the Supreme Court and the judicial system, while maintaining that political and public resistance would continue.
Anti-CEC Protest Delhi Row Grows After Jantar Mantar Denotification
The arrests have added to the wider anti-CEC protest controversy surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Sections of the Opposition have been demanding Kumar's resignation while raising concerns over the Election Commission and the electoral process. The Jantar Mantar decision has now become another point of political confrontation.
The government has designated alternative locations for demonstrations in Delhi. However, questions have emerged about their availability and accessibility.
Ramlila Maidan, one of the alternative protest sites, reportedly has almost no available dates for the next two and a half months. According to officials cited in the source report, only December 29, 30 and 31 were available for booking at the time.
Opposition leaders argue that moving demonstrations away from Jantar Mantar could reduce their visibility and make it harder for protesters to bring their concerns directly to the attention of authorities.
For now, the immediate legal case centres on the alleged unauthorised entry into Jantar Mantar. Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka will remain in judicial custody for five days, while Ajinkya Shinde has been released on a personal bond.
The case has intensified the debate over the anti-CEC protests, the use of public spaces for demonstrations and the future of Jantar Mantar as a prominent venue for political and public protest in the national capital.
