Why Was CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke Released While Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka Face 5-Day Judicial Custody?

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was released on conditions on Saturday, October 17, while party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka remained in judicial custody over a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The key difference, according to police sources cited by NDTV, was that Dipke was detained before he could reach a planned march in Connaught Place, whereas Das and Ranka had allegedly entered the restricted protest site despite police orders.

Dipke was produced before a Special Executive Magistrate at Mandir Marg, where he was directed to furnish a ₹50,000 bond and give an undertaking to maintain peace. He was released from Mandir Marg police station after the hearing. Das and Ranka, meanwhile, were sent to five days of judicial custody on October 14. Their custody period was due to end on Sunday, October 18. CJP Founder Abhijit Deepke Granted Bail, to Be Released After Signing Peace Bond.

Why Was Abhijeet Dipke Released While Two CJP Leaders Remain in Jail?

According to police sources quoted by NDTV, Dipke was taken into custody on Friday before he could join the CJP’s planned ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march at Connaught Place. Officials cited this difference while explaining why he was released after furnishing a peace bond.

Das and Ranka, by contrast, were accused of reaching Jantar Mantar despite restrictions on protests at the site. Police alleged that they entered the area through private property and obstructed personnel attempting to stop the gathering. Dipke’s release was conditional and did not amount to a judicial finding on the broader allegations surrounding the protests. He was required to provide the bond and undertake not to disturb public peace.

What Are the Legal Grounds for the Different Actions?

The cases involved preventive provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), including Sections 126 and 170. Section 126 provides for requiring a person to execute a bond to maintain peace, while Section 170 empowers police to make preventive arrests to stop a cognisable offence. ‘Hopeful They Will Be Released Tomorrow’: CJP Awaits Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka’s Release.

The same provisions were invoked against Das, Ranka and another CJP member, Ajinkya Shinde, when they appeared before a magistrate on October 14. However, the outcomes differed. According to a Delhi Police press note cited by NDTV, the magistrate recorded a serious apprehension that Das and Ranka could again violate the law or encourage others to do so if released. CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh said the three members faced allegations including trespass, violation of bond conditions and obstruction of public servants.

Shinde was released after furnishing a personal bond and surety of ₹5,000, with an undertaking to maintain peace for six months. Das and Ranka were remanded to five days of judicial custody.

What Happened at Jantar Mantar?

The case dates back to October 13, when Das, Ranka, Shinde and 11 other CJP members allegedly entered the Jantar Mantar area to stage a protest. Police said the group entered through private property despite restrictions and that some protesters obstructed personnel from performing their duties. All 14 members were detained.

Two days earlier, on October 11, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar had issued an order removing Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest venues. The move became a point of contention for CJP, which has been organising demonstrations over electoral issues and restrictions on public protests in the national capital.

Police also cited the alleged violation of earlier peace-bond conditions. Das and Ranka had signed bonds after being detained during an earlier protest on October 10. According to police sources, their subsequent actions amounted to a breach of those conditions.

CJP Protests Over SIR and Gyanesh Kumar

The protests are part of a broader campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CJP, student groups and opposition parties have alleged irregularities in the voter-list revision and demanded Kumar’s resignation.

The Election Commission has maintained that its decisions regarding the electoral exercise have legal backing and that voters whose names are wrongly deleted can seek re-enrolment. The BJP has criticised the protests, accusing opposition groups of attempting to undermine the electoral process.

Abhijeet Dipke Says He Is Waiting for His Colleagues’ Release

After his release, Dipke shared a photograph of Das and Ranka on social media and wrote, “Now just waiting for my brothers to be free.” In another post, he shared a still from the film Veer-Zaara and described how it felt to walk out of custody after 24 hours without access to Wi-Fi or a phone. Meanwhile, the two CJP leaders remained in judicial custody as their five-day remand approached its end on October 18. Their subsequent status would depend on further legal proceedings.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 17, 2026 09:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).