Delhi police arrest opposition party leaders over unauthorised protest

Delhi police arrested Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde, all leaders of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), for conducting a protest at Jantar Mantar without prior permission. The three were taken into custody and presented before a magistrate's court, which remanded them to five days of judicial custody. Police registered a first information report against the leaders under relevant charges related to unauthorised assembly.

The arrests come after Delhi authorities removed Jantar Mantar from the official list of designated protest venues. The landmark, located in central Delhi near Parliament Street, has long served as a focal point for political demonstrations and public activism in the capital. The delisting effectively restricts unauthorised gatherings at the location and empowers police to take action against protesters congregating there without clearance.

The CJP has characterised the action as a crackdown on dissent. The party had planned the demonstration to voice opposition to policies of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), according to reports. The arrest of the party's leaders represents an escalation in tensions between the opposition group and authorities.