Three leaders of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) — Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde — have been placed under preventive arrest in connection with a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where demonstrators demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The three were detained early Tuesday after crossing police barricades and entering Jantar Mantar, which was recently removed from the list of designated protest venues. A case was registered against them over their alleged actions.

According to the police case, the charges include trespassing, violation of a bond, and obstructing a public official from performing official duties.

The three leaders were produced before a Special Court of the Executive Magistrate on Wednesday and could be sent to judicial custody at Tihar Jail.

Why CJP leaders protested at Jantar Mantar

The protest comes amid demonstrations by the CJP and opposition groups over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The protesters were demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The controversy centres on allegations concerning the electoral roll revision exercise, which the Election Commission and the BJP have denied.

Jantar Mantar was recently removed from the list of designated protest venues in Delhi. The change followed an order naming alternative locations for demonstrations, prompting criticism from groups that want to hold protests at the established site.

CJP legal team raises concerns over detention

Ratna Singh, head of the CJP legal team, said in a post on X that Delhi Police had arrested Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde at Parliament Street Police Station in connection with the Jantar Mantar case.

Singh alleged that the three were brought to the police station in a private van at around 3 am and were not allowed to meet their lawyers until late at night.

She also raised concerns about the legal process and the possibility of the leaders being sent to judicial custody.

The allegations regarding access to legal counsel were made by the CJP legal team and should be distinguished from the charges registered by the police.

The arrests mark another development in the ongoing dispute over protests at Jantar Mantar and the CJP’s campaign against the Chief Election Commissioner over the SIR exercise.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday criticised Rahul Gandhi over the Opposition’s allegations concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Shah argued that the Congress had been losing elections since Gandhi entered politics and questioned how the SIR exercise, which he said began after 2024, could explain the party’s electoral defeats.

His remarks came amid protests by Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR process.

Shah accused Gandhi of using the controversy to deflect attention from the Congress’s electoral setbacks. He argued that the party’s history of defeats could not simply be attributed to changes in voter lists.

Amit Shah cites BJP’s Gujarat civic poll victories

Shah referred to the BJP’s recent performance in Gujarat’s local body elections, particularly in Gandhinagar, where the party retained control of the municipal corporation.

The BJP won 38 of the 44 seats in the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation. The BJP also retained control of the Thara and Okha municipalities, according to the report.

Shah cited these results while defending the BJP’s electoral performance and asserting that the victories reflected the popularity of the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shah questioned the Opposition’s attempt to link the Congress’s electoral defeats to the SIR exercise, citing the party’s electoral record as part of his argument.

Rahul Gandhi vows to continue Opposition protests

Shah’s comments followed a press conference by Rahul Gandhi, who reiterated that the Opposition would continue its campaign against what it alleges are irregularities in the SIR process and concerns over the functioning of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Gandhi said the political resistance would continue, framing the campaign as a fight for the restoration of democracy.

The Congress and other Opposition leaders have raised concerns about the electoral roll revision process, while the BJP has defended its electoral record and challenged the Opposition’s explanations for its defeats.

Shah’s remarks added to the political confrontation between the BJP and Congress over electoral processes, voter lists and the interpretation of recent election results.

The Supreme Court has stayed further proceedings before the trial court in a criminal defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his alleged remarks concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Aparesh Kumar Singh issued notices to the Maharashtra government and the complainant, seeking their responses within four weeks. The order provides interim relief to Gandhi while the Supreme Court considers his challenge to an earlier Bombay High Court decision.

The case concerns remarks allegedly made by Gandhi in 2018. A magistrate’s order dated August 28, 2019, initiated proceedings against him in the criminal defamation case. The Supreme Court’s latest order temporarily pauses the trial court proceedings; it does not amount to a final ruling on the allegations.

Why Rahul Gandhi approached the Supreme Court

Gandhi challenged the Bombay High Court’s September 8 order, which declined to quash the summons issued against him in the criminal defamation case.

The complaint was filed by Maharashtra-based BJP member Mahesh Shrishrimal before a magistrate court in Girgaum, Mumbai. The complaint concerns remarks Gandhi allegedly made about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public address in Rajasthan on September 20, 2018.

The complainant alleged that Gandhi’s remarks were defamatory and affected the reputation of the Prime Minister and BJP members. These remain allegations and have not been established by a final court judgment. These are allegations in the complaint, rather than findings established by a final court judgment.

Gandhi had sought to have the criminal proceedings quashed, challenging the maintainability of the complaint and the complainant’s standing to bring the case.

What the Bombay High Court had ruled

On September 8, the Bombay High Court rejected Gandhi’s plea to quash the criminal defamation proceedings.

The Bombay High Court rejected Gandhi’s plea to quash the proceedings, holding that the complaint could not be dismissed at that stage merely on the ground that the complainant was a BJP member. It observed that whether the alleged remarks were directed solely at the Prime Minister or could also affect members of the party would require examination during the trial.

The High Court’s decision allowed the proceedings to remain in place, although it had earlier provided temporary protection to Gandhi to enable him to approach the Supreme Court.

What happens next

The Supreme Court has now stayed further proceedings before the trial court and sought responses from the Maharashtra government and Mahesh Shrishrimal within four weeks.

The Supreme Court has sought responses within four weeks. The next hearing date should be included only if it has been confirmed by the court or the reference report. The interim stay pauses the trial court process while the Supreme Court considers Gandhi’s challenge to the High Court’s order.

The latest development does not determine whether the alleged remarks amount to criminal defamation. That issue remains subject to the legal proceedings.