New Delhi, October 11 — Three senior leaders of the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), including founder Abhijeet Dipke, were released on Sunday after an executive magistrate ordered their release following more than 20 hours in preventive detention. The move came as Delhi remained under heavy security on the second day of protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Court-ordered release
Dipke, co-conveners Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were produced before an executive magistrate at Delhi Cantonment Police Station after being detained on Saturday ahead of the planned Jantar Mantar demonstration. They were released on a bond of ₹50,000, with conditions requiring them to maintain peace and good behaviour for one year.
The CJP’s legal affairs head, Ratna Singh, said the release order also barred the leaders from “breaching peace” for a year. Reports said the conditions may restrict further protest participation or entry into parts of New Delhi under prohibitory orders, though the exact legal scope remained unclear.
Mass detentions, releases
Delhi Police had detained thousands of protesters on Saturday as they attempted to reach Jantar Mantar despite restrictions; estimates cited by media outlets ranged from about 3,000 to more than 7,000. Most detainees were released overnight, while the three CJP leaders and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee remained in custody until Sunday.
Security forces, including CRPF and Rapid Action Force personnel, remained deployed around Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar, with barricades, anti-riot equipment and detention buses in place. Central Delhi markets and metro services gradually resumed normal operations on Sunday.
‘Fight has just begun’
Hours after their release, CJP leaders said the movement would continue. “The fight has just begun,” Saurav Das told reporters, while the group announced a press conference for 2 pm to outline its next course of action and called for fresh protests.
The CJP, which is not registered as a political party, has framed its agitation as a demand for electoral reforms ahead of key state elections. The movement gained prominence after its founder began it in May, following the Chief Justice’s reported comparison of some unemployed young people to “cockroaches.”
Police have warned that any violation of the peace undertaking, unlawful assembly or disruption to public order could lead to re-arrest and penalties.
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