A Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court at the Mandir Marg Police Station in New Delhi on Monday extended the judicial custody of youth outfit Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka by two additional days. The decision came after the duo was produced before the executive magistrate following the completion of their initial five-day judicial remand. The Delhi Police sought an extension of their detention on grounds of maintaining public peace and preventing recurring demonstrations at sensitive locations. Both leaders will now remain behind bars and are scheduled to be produced before the court again on Wednesday, October 21.

The Jantar Mantar Standoff: Why The Activists Were Detained

The controversy stems from high-voltage demonstrations organized by the CJP against alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Tensions escalated when Das and Ranka allegedly climbed over locked barricades to enter Jantar Mantar to stage a “Tiranga” protest and raise slogans, despite the iconic central Delhi avenue being de-notified as an authorized protest venue and placed under strict prohibitory orders. Delhi Police swiftly detained them on October 14 under preventive provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), pointing out that they had previously breached peace bonds executed following an earlier airport detention.

Delayed Proceedings And High Drama In The SEM Court

Monday’s remand extension was marked by fierce delays and high procedural drama outside the makeshift court at Mandir Marg. The hearing, initially anticipated for the afternoon around 2 PM, stretched well into the evening before the executive magistrate formally passed the extension order. The hearing was further clouded by developments over the weekend when the presiding magistrate reported receiving alleged death threats from unidentified callers, prompting the registration of a formal non-cognisable report (NCR) by the police.

CJP Cries Foul Over Bail Delays And ‘Vague’ Objections

The outfit’s leadership strongly criticized the judicial outcome, accusing law enforcement of deliberately employing stall tactics to keep their leaders in jail. CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh termed the extension “absurd,” asserting that all verification requirements and bail documentation were submitted on time and that the prosecution offered mere assumptions without legal substance. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke alleged that the administration was dragging out the proceedings without valid legal grounds. However, with the magistrate granting Delhi Police’s plea, both Das and Ranka will stay in custody while their legal counsel prepares a fresh push for bail mid-week.