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Delhi Police detain CJP leaders in Jantar Mantar protest case
Three senior functionaries of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-affiliated Centre for Indian Trade Unions have been placed under preventive arrest following an FIR related to demonstrations at the iconic Delhi landmark. The arrests come after allegations of criminal trespass and violation of bail conditions.
LSN India ·
Delhi Police on Tuesday placed Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde, all leaders of the Centre for Justice and Peace (CJP), under preventive detention in connection with an incident at Jantar Mantar, officials said.
The three were arrested following the registration of a First Information Report against them on multiple charges including criminal trespass, breach of bond conditions, and disobedience of lawful orders, according to police statements. The preventive arrest allows authorities to detain individuals without formal charges when there is perceived risk of breach of peace or further violations of law.
The action represents an escalation in police handling of protest activities at the central Delhi venue, which has long served as a focal point for demonstrations by civil society groups and political organisations. The specific circumstances that precipitated the FIR and subsequent arrests remain unclear, with police yet to release detailed statements regarding the nature of the alleged violations.
The detention of the CJP leaders underscores heightened tensions surrounding protest regulations in Delhi, where authorities have increasingly invoked preventive measures against activist organisations. Legal experts have previously raised concerns about the use of preventive detention in such cases, arguing it requires careful scrutiny to balance public order considerations with constitutional protections for peaceful assembly.