Delhi Police has transferred another case registered against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to the Crime Branch, taking the number of cases against the jailed leaders being investigated by the specialised unit to two, sources told PTI on Tuesday.
The development comes a day after another case linked to the two leaders, concerning their alleged entry into the Jantar Mantar area, was transferred to the Crime Branch.
According to Delhi Police, on October 13, Das, Ranka, Ajinkya Shinde and 11 other CJP members reached Jantar Mantar, which has been denotified as a designated protest site, by allegedly trespassing through private premises.
Police personnel deployed at the spot intervened and attempted to stop the group. All 14 members were detained, and two FIRs were registered in connection with the incident.
Das and Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody on October 14 by a Special Executive Magistrate for allegedly breaching peace bonds. Their judicial custody was extended by two days on Monday.
The two leaders remain behind bars following the group’s attempt to unfurl the national flag at Jantar Mantar. They allegedly scaled a locked gate to enter the area despite having signed peace bonds on October 10.
The CJP members were also accused of crossing police barricades to enter the denotified protest venue. During the incident, the two co-convenors allegedly raised slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
DIPKE CALLS RANKA, DAS THE REAL DECISION-MAKERS
The transfer of the cases comes amid renewed attention on the CJP’s leadership after founder and convenor Abhijeet Dipke described the jailed co-convenors as the real decision-makers behind the party’s movement.
In a 16-minute video message posted on X on Tuesday, Dipke said Ranka and Das had played a central role in taking the movement forward, describing the two as his brothers and portraying himself as someone who followed their instructions.
In the emotional message released on Dussehra, Dipke also announced that the party would not organise protests until Diwali. He urged CJP supporters, who refer to themselves as “cockroaches”, to take a break and spend time with their families.
Dipke’s remarks shed light on the internal functioning of the party and the roles played by Ranka and Das in its protests, including the July agitation that culminated in BJP MP Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister.
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