CJP's Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka sent to five days' judicial custody over Jantar Mantar protest
Two spokespersons of the Cockroach Janta Party were arrested in Delhi on the eve of a planned protest; founder Abhijeet Dipke has condemned the arrests.
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Delhi Police have taken major action just before Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was due to arrive in Delhi and the party's protest at Jantar Mantar was to be held. Party spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have reportedly been arrested by police in Delhi.
Jantar Mantar had been cancelled as a protest venue. They are said to have been jailed for going there regardless, raising slogans and unfurling the tricolour.
According to the latest information, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were produced in court and sent to five days' judicial custody. CJP chief Abhijeet Dipke has expressed anger over the arrests of Saurav, Ashutosh and Ajinkya Shinde.
Dipke attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He asked whether unfurling the tricolour is a crime, and said that if it is, Modi should say so clearly. Calling it the RSS ideology, he said they themselves did not hoist the tricolour at their shakha for many years, and so they still have a problem with the tricolour.
Dipke alleged that his colleagues have been detained. He said they are not being allowed to speak to anyone, their phones have been snatched and they are not being allowed to meet lawyers. He alleged that they have in effect been abducted and that they are not even being told which police station they are in.
Dipke further said, "My colleagues cannot silence our voice by locking them up or by shutting down Jantar Mantar. This agitation will not stop without the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar."
Earlier, on Saturday (October 10), Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka arrived in Delhi. Police took them into custody from the aircraft itself, and they were later released on bail. According to CJP legal head Ratna Singh, the party had approached Delhi Police on Monday to seek permission for the protest.
However, in the early hours of Wednesday (October 14), police arrested these two key leaders along with Ajinkya Shinde in connection with the Jantar Mantar incident. Coincidentally, October 14 is also Ashutosh Ranka's birthday.
