Delhi protest LIVE: CJP warns of legal action if Das, Ranka not released today; cites ‘delay tactics’
Delhi protest LIVE: This came even as the outfit founder Abhijeet Dipke was released on Saturday on conditional bail, a day after he was detained on his way to Connaught Place for the ‘Lehra do Tiranga’ march
Delhi protest LIVE: The Cockroach Janta Party has warned of legal action if its co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are not released on Sunday, when their five-day judicial custody ends. The CJP said they had consulted with senior advocate Kapil Sibal, and alleged “deliberate use of delaying tactics” to keep Das and Ranka “behind bars.”...Read More
This came even as the outfit founder Abhijeet Dipke was released on Saturday on conditional bail, a day after he was detained on his way to Connaught Place for the ‘Lehra do Tiranga’ march and then arrested. One of the primary conditions of Dipke's bail bond is to ensure there is no breach of peace on his end for a period of one year.
AISA national president Neha Bora had also been detained on Friday, but was released following overnight detention after formal procedures under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act.
The CJP, student organisations and the Opposition have staged continuous protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the special intensive revision exercise, following reports of objections being raised by the two Election Commissioners on the poll body's decisions. The ECI has, in a statement, maintained that all decisions taken by it are unanimous.
‘Waiting for my brothers to be free’
Following his release on Friday, Dipke said he was “waiting for his brothers to be free”, while sharing a photograph of Das and Ranka. CJP's co-convenors were arrested earlier this week on Tuesday, after they jumped a locked gate to enter Jantar Mantar, which was de-notified as a protest site, and displayed the Tricolour there, along with 12 others.
They were subsequently detained. While CJP national organisation in-charge Ajinkya Shinde and 11 others were released, Das and Ranka faced preventive action and were sent to five-day judicial custody.
CJP's legal affairs head Ratna Singh had, in a post on X, alleged that Das and Ranka “could not come out” on Saturday because the investigating officer (IO) had come at 6 pm for a 2 pm hearing.
- {{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
- 18 Oct 2026, 07:59:07 AM IST
Delhi protest LIVE: Dipke shares photograph with NCP(SP)'s Anish Gawande
My brother ❤️
— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) October 17, 2026Delhi protest LIVE: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, after his release, visited NCP(SP)'s Anish Gawande at his residence. The latter posted a photograph with Dipke, writing, “One down, two to go.”
Sharing the post, Dipke wrote, “My brother.”
- 18 Oct 2026, 07:27:07 AM IST
Delhi protest LIVE: ‘Every required procedure completed, merely waiting formal approval,’ says Ratna Singh on Das, Ranka's release
Delhi protest LIVE: Even as CJP co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka's five-day judicial custody ends on Sunday, CJP's legal affairs head Ratna Singh said, “Everything is in place, and every required procedure has been completed. We are merely waiting for the formal approval.”
“They have been charged with trespassing, information which is already in the public domain. Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) have been invoked against them. Such charges should not have been framed against anyone in the first place,” PTI news agency cited Singh as saying.
“Hoisting the national flag (Tiranga) does not constitute a crime. Whenever we issue a call to gather, it is strictly peaceful. Our intent has always been that people participate peacefully, whether in groups or individually,” Singh added.
- {{^htLoading}}
- 18 Oct 2026, 07:07:26 AM IST
Delhi protest LIVE: ‘Delhi Police has a weird habit,’ says Dipke; claims arrest papers served at 3.30 am
Delhi protest LIVE: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, in a post on X, claimed, “Delhi Police has a weird habit. First, they detain you and deny you access to lawyers the entire time. They don’t tell you or anyone where you are being taken to. Then, at 3:30 in the morning, they suddenly show up with arrest papers and finally call your lawyer at 4 AM!”
Dipke said this had happened to him “twice now.”
- 18 Oct 2026, 07:05:30 AM IST
Delhi protest LIVE: CJP's legal affairs head thanks advocates who represented Dipke
Delhi protest LIVE: CJP's legal affairs head Ratna Singh on Saturday thanked advocates Harsh Bora and Tusharika Mattoo, who had argued Abhijeet Dipke's bail matter. They were assisted by advocates Pushp Sharma, Abhisht Hela and Shivangi Sharma.
“Thanks to advocate Anushka Khaitan too!” Ratna Singh said in a post on X.
- {{^htLoading}}
- 18 Oct 2026, 07:02:57 AM IST
Delhi protest LIVE: CJP stages protest in Pune, demands scrapping of SIR
Delhi protest LIVE: The Cockroach Janta Party staged a protest in Pune on Saturday, demanding the scrapping of the SIR exercise and the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
A large number of students participated in the protest near the statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, close to the Pune Collector's Office, and raised slogans against the government while holding the national flag, PTI news agency reported.
- 18 Oct 2026, 06:57:37 AM IST
Delhi protest LIVE: ‘Will pursue legal action if Das, Ranka not released,’ says CJP
Delhi protest LIVE: The CJP in a post on X warned of legal action if Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were not released on Sunday.
“We have consulted Mr. Kapil Sibal. If Ashu and Saurav are not released by tomorrow, we will pursue legal action against all those who deliberately ensured that they continue to be in illegal custody especially when they have not committed nor charged with any offence,” CJP said in a post on X.
“The deliberate use of delaying tactics to keep them behind bars cannot go unchallenged. Those responsible will be held accountable,” they added.
- {{^htLoading}}