Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka, front‑line leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party, were taken into custody by Delhi Police on Monday night after they crossed the restricted perimeter of Jantar Mantar during a protest.
Jantar Mantar, a UNESCO‑listed monument in central Delhi, has long been a crucible for political rallies. The two leaders had been campaigning for election reform and had been warned that the area was off‑limits to non‑official participants.
Delhi Police spokesperson Arjun Mehta told reporters that the police had acted within the bounds of the law and that the leaders would face a 5‑day judicial custody pending investigation. He added that a formal charge sheet would be filed within 24 hours.
CJP spokesperson Rakesh Gupta condemned the move as an attempt to silence dissent. He said the party will file a complaint with the Delhi High Court and seek to challenge the detention order.
The two are now scheduled to appear before Judge Priya Sharma in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday, where the prosecution will seek an extended detention period. The court is expected to rule by Friday.