Jantar Mantar Protest: Cockroach Janata Party leaders Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Ajinkya Shinde had protested at Jantar Mantar without permission on Tuesday. After which Delhi Police arrested all three and presented them in SEM court on Wednesday. From where the court has sent Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das to judicial custody for 5 days. Regarding this, a strong reaction has come from the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. Rahul has called it a cowardly act.
Read:- Protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar took a heavy toll, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das in judicial custody for five days.
On social media platform X, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reacted to the incident of sending CJP leaders to jail. He said, “Waving the tricolor during a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar is not a crime. Putting youth in jail for this is a cowardly act.” He made it clear that the objective of all the people protesting against the irregularities in the elections is the same, even if these protests are taking place under different banners. “Students, youth, journalists and the INDIA alliance—the banners may be different, but the objective is the same. All the protests are the same: citizens demanding their constitutional rights. Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will get it back,” Rahul said.
Waving the Tricolor at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime. Jailing youth for it is an act of cowardice.
Students. Youth. Journalists. The INDIA block. Different banners, one cause. All protests are one: citizens demanding their constitutional rights.
Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it.
Read :- Rahul Gandhi should introspect by taking a lesson from the election results, NDA will win with a huge majority in the 2029 elections also: Amit Shah
—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 14, 2026
Delhi Police statement
On the SEM Court's decision to send Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das to jail, Delhi Police issued a statement saying, “On the morning of 13 October 2026, Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) member Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, Ajinkya Shinde and 11 others entered Jantar Mantar from a private place, which is no longer considered a designated place for protests. The police personnel deployed there tried to stop them. But the protesters allegedly prevented the policemen from performing their official duty. All 14 people were detained and FIR No. 289/26 (PS Connaught Place, Section 223a/332/61(2), dated 13.10.2026) was registered against them. 221/115(2)/132/121(1)/3(5), dated 13.10.2026. Subsequently, all the persons were booked in the relevant cases as per law.”
The statement further said, “In view of their alleged repeated attempts to disturb public peace and break the law, Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Ajinkya Shinde were arrested under relevant precautionary provisions of the law. Their alleged attempts through social media to instigate others to indulge in similar illegal activities were also taken into consideration. All three were produced before the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM). Where proceedings were initiated under Section 126/170 of the Indian Civil Security Code, the SEM Court, considering the knowledge of Kalandara and his repeated violations of law, and the grave apprehension that he would again break the law and instigate others to break the law, sent Ajinkya Shinde to judicial custody for 05 days. “Remanded to a personal bond of Rs 5000 and surety to maintain peace and good behavior for 06 months.”