'Boys have a message': Dipke shares Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka's video after their release

In a video, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were seen holding the tricolour and reiterating their demand for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke shared a video of party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka following their release from judicial custody.

In the video, the duo is seen holding the Indian national flag and reiterating their demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

"Bharat Mata ki Jai, Inquilab Zindabad and Gyanu must go", Das and Ranka said in the video, reaffirming their stand on the demand for the CEC’s resignation. The development came after the Special Executive Magistrate’s (SEM) ordered release of the two leaders on Wednesday.

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Why Das and Ranka were detained

Das and Ranka were sentenced on October 14 after they allegedly climbed over a locked gate to enter Jantar Mantar, which had previously been de-notified as a designated protest site.

The case unfolded amid a dispute over the status of Jantar Mantar as an authorised protest venue. On October 11, Delhi Police withdrew the site’s designation as an authorised protest location. The decision has since been challenged separately before the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court.

Two days after the withdrawal of the designation, on October 13, Das and Ranka visited Jantar Mantar carrying the national flag. They were detained the following day, and the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) subsequently remanded them to five days of judicial custody, citing concerns over a possible breach of peace.

Also Read | ‘Suddenly we hear about regime change’: Delhi HC during CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka's plea hearing

CJP leaders released after 7-day custody

On October 19, the magistrate rejected the sureties submitted on their behalf, citing doubts about the sureties’ ability to ensure the leaders’ compliance and discrepancies in identity documents. As a result, their judicial custody was extended by another two days.

They were released after the period of judicial custody expired, prompting CJP to welcome the magistrate’s subsequent order. The party’s legal head, Ratna Singh, said the decision should have been taken earlier.

The party’s protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar have centred on alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls. The controversy surrounding the Chief Election Commissioner intensified following an Indian Express report that said Election Commissioners had raised objections to decisions taken by Kumar on 14 occasions over a period of 10 months.

The Election Commission, however, maintained that all its decisions had been unanimous.

Priyanjali Narayan is a journalist with Hindustan Times based in New Delhi. She has over two years of experience covering national and international affairs, reporting on breaking news, producing in-depth explainers, and writing feature stories. Her work explores the political, social, and cultural dimensions of major events, with a focus on providing clear, nuanced, and accessible journalism for a broad audience.Before joining Hindustan Times, she was part of the India Today newsroom, where she specialised in explanatory journalism. There, she wrote detailed analyses of major domestic and international issues and produced feature stories that included interviews with prominent public figures. The role strengthened her ability to combine speed with depth in a fast-paced news environment.She holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in History from the University of Delhi. Her academic training continues to shape her storytelling, grounding her work in historical context and research-driven insight.Outside the newsroom, she enjoys reading personal essays and fiction, and is often planning her next trip, always seeking stories that deepen her understanding of people and places.Read More