Annamalai, Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee demand release of Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have approached the Delhi High Court challenging a special executive magistrate’s decision to extend their judicial custody, with their legal team expected to seek a hearing on Tuesday.

The move comes amid mounting criticism of the Delhi Police’s handling of protests by the group, with former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee questioning the continued detention of the two leaders.

A court on Monday extended the judicial custody of Das and Ranka by two days in connection with allegations that they breached security and entered Jantar Mantar after it had been de-notified as a protest site.

Annamalai criticises Delhi Police over arrests

Annamalai on Tuesday criticised the Delhi Police’s actions against CJP protesters, describing them as a “real disservice” and defending the group’s right to raise questions, even as he distanced himself from some of its protest methods.

Speaking to reporters, Annamalai, who founded the “We The Leaders” movement, said he did not necessarily agree with the group’s tactics but supported the issues it was seeking to highlight. He added that the government should respond to those concerns rather than resort to arrests.

“Delhi Police is doing a real disservice,” he said.

“I may not agree with their antics or mode of protest, but I completely support CJP in terms of the questions they want to raise. Arresting them and dragging them into jail will only make their leaders stronger,” Annamalai added.

Das questions court order after custody extension

The custody extension followed a hearing on Monday in the case relating to the alleged breach of security at Jantar Mantar, a site that had been de-notified for protests.

After leaving the court, Das questioned the rejection of their sureties and challenged the grounds cited in connection with the allegations against them. He also accused the authorities of denying them justice.

“We're in an emergency. There is no justice. This is a police court and you see what is happening. Just look at the ground that they have taken,” Das shouted from a police van.

The two CJP spokespersons subsequently moved the Delhi High Court against the special executive magistrate’s decision to extend their custody.

Akhilesh Yadav demands immediate release

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday called for the immediate release of Das, Ranka and others who remain imprisoned, alleging that they had been detained unnecessarily.

Speaking to ANI, Yadav said their continued detention was not justified under the law or the Constitution and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of exerting pressure to keep them behind bars.

“Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, and others who are currently imprisoned, should be released immediately; they have been detained unnecessarily. Neither our laws nor our Constitution permit this, yet the BJP is exerting pressure to keep them behind bars,” he said.

Mamata Banerjee alleges police atrocities, demands release

Mamata Banerjee also condemned the extension of the two CJP leaders’ judicial custody, accusing the Centre of perpetrating “state-sponsored terrorism” and “police-sponsored atrocities”. She demanded their immediate release and alleged that Das and Ranka were being subjected to torture.

In a post on X, the former West Bengal chief minister claimed that efforts were being made to prolong their detention and described the alleged treatment of young protesters as a threat to democracy.

“I can understand the desperate motive to extend the custody of Ashutosh and Saurav. This is a dangerous virus being used on a daily basis to attack democracy. Stop torturing the boys and girls of Gen Z,” Banerjee said.

The High Court challenge and the criticism from political leaders have brought renewed attention to the detention of the CJP spokespersons following the group’s protest at Jantar Mantar. The case centres on the allegations surrounding their entry into the de-notified protest site and the subsequent decision to extend their judicial custody.