The journey began with the tricolor and a barred gate. It ended on Wednesday, October 21, with an order from the magistrate to open the gates of Tihar jail.
The Delhi Special Executive Magistrate Court released Cockroach Janta Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka from judicial custody without extending it after seven days at Tihar.
The case was adjourned by the police. An extension of three more days of custody had been sought by the Delhi Police.
The SEM considered the case at Mandir Marg Police Station at 4 pm and reserved its order. The order for release came afterwards.
The final step was that of getting the paperwork in place. In a letter to the Superintendent of Tihar Jail, it was stated that "the personal/surety/peace bond has been accepted."
This case dates back to a protest that was held on October 13. Das and Ranka, who were spokespersons for the party, climbed over the locked gates at Jantar Mantar and raised the Indian flags to protest against the de-notification of the place as a protest site.
Jantar Mantar has been India's most famous protest street, where every cause is fought near the Parliament in an attempt to get its due recognition. The place has been restricted gradually by the authorities, and it is alleged that only symbolic protests can be held there. This is the reason why the de-notification was significant for protesters.
The accusations made were limited to raising of flags and entry into the site.
Das and Ranka appeared in court on the same day. They filed a plea against the extension of their custody before the High Court of Delhi.
Justice Subramonium Prasad counselled them to be patient. He told them to wait for the hearing in the magisterial court and come back if they were unhappy. Then, the two withdrew from their plea.
Their appearance in court raised some issues. The court asked about their ages and found out that they did not belong to the Gen Z generation. Das is 27 years old, and Ranka is 31. The court observed that there was leniency in dealing with them.
The party stated that the delay was intentional. CJP had accused the officials of delaying the release of the duo through constant objections raised against the surety papers submitted in their favor. Police have not commented on the accusation so far as per the reports accessed.
Despite the order, the gates remained shut for some time. As per one report, release on Wednesday was not possible because of the formalities involved. The duo was taken out of the court.
It was not the first time they had been held in custody. Das, Ranka, and Abhijeet Dipke, who founded Citizens' Judicial Platform (CJP), were in detention prior to the unlawful rally in Delhi on October 10.
After paying a surety bond of Rs. 50,000 and promising to maintain peaceful behavior for one year, the duo was released. As the protest occurred days after October 10, it is quite possible that the magistrate treated them under the peace bond section.
OpIndia also claimed that Delhi Police referred both cases to the Crime Branch. This claim is mentioned only in the heading and is yet to be verified in the articles studied.
The CJP was just founded some months ago. Political communications expert Abhijeet Dipke established it through an online launch on May 16, 2026, and has positioned it as political satire against the establishment.
Its name is a mockery of the BJP. It alludes to comments made by the Chief Justice of India and mocks the BJP's name.
According to Mr. Dipke, the party is free from any form of political organization and seeks to serve as a platform for young Indians feeling marginalized by mainstream politics.
