Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka furnish ₹50,000 surety bonds to maintain peace for one year; over 3,000 protesters were detained during Saturday’s agitation against the Chief Election Commissioner.
New Delhi, Oct 2026 : A Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court in New Delhi on Sunday released three Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders after requiring them to furnish surety bonds for maintaining peace and good behaviour for one year, Delhi Police said.
The leaders — Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka — had been placed under preventive arrest by Delhi Police on Saturday ahead of the party’s proposed demonstration against the Election Commission of India (ECI).
CJP’s legal affairs head, Ratna Singh, confirmed their release following proceedings before the SEM court at Delhi Cantonment.
In a post on X, Delhi Police said the three leaders had been preventively arrested on October 10 under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). It added that the required legal procedures had been followed and that the leaders were produced before the SEM court on Sunday.
According to the police, the court released them after a surety bond of ₹50,000 was furnished, with the condition that they maintain peace and good behaviour for a period of one year.
The three leaders were detained at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday after arriving in the national capital to participate in the CJP’s planned protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party had called for the demonstration over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police said more than 20 first information reports (FIRs) had been registered in connection with attempts to hold protests without authorisation. Officials said the cases involved alleged offences including taking the law into one’s own hands, obstructing public servants in the discharge of their duties and assaulting police personnel.
The cases were registered amid gatherings around Jantar Mantar, where protesters had demanded the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
On Saturday, more than 3,000 protesters were detained across Delhi as authorities deployed extensive security arrangements to prevent unauthorised demonstrations and maintain law and order. Those detained included opposition leaders such as former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The proposed agitation was prevented from taking place as a single gathering, with protesters reportedly assembling in smaller groups at different locations across the capital.
Authorities had denied permission for the demonstration and warned against unauthorised gatherings. Security measures included roadblocks, traffic diversions and internet restrictions, according to the report. The measures were aimed at preventing a recurrence of the CJP’s July protest at Jantar Mantar, which had turned violent.
Police said those detained on Saturday were taken to different locations, including Chhatrasal Stadium and various police stations. Most detainees, including opposition leaders, were released later in the evening.
The developments come amid continuing tensions over the CJP’s allegations concerning the electoral roll revision process and its demand for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
