CJP Leaders Allege Illegal Detention, Phone Seizure After Release in Delhi

‘This Has Become a War’: CJP Leaders Accuse Modi Government After 24-Hour Detention

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das on Sunday accused Delhi Police of forcibly taking their mobile phones during their detention and expressed apprehension that the devices could have been cloned or tampered with.

The allegations came hours after the leaders were released from custody following their detention on Saturday. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Das claimed that police had seized their phones without following the legally prescribed procedures, including preparing a seizure memo.

“They picked us up as if we were criminals. They took our phones forcibly,” Das alleged, adding that the three detained leaders had been taken to separate locations.

He claimed that their phones remained with the police for 24 hours and raised concerns about possible interference with the devices. No independent confirmation of the alleged phone tampering was immediately available.

CJP Leaders Released After Detention at Delhi Airport
CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Abhijeet Dipke were detained on Saturday morning from the aircraft in which they had arrived in Delhi, ahead of the party’s planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar.

They were released on Sunday morning after police required them to furnish a bond for maintaining peace and good behaviour for one year.

Reacting to the action, Ranka accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of being responsible for the tensions surrounding the protests.

“The actual breach of peace was being caused by Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah,” he alleged.

Ranka further claimed that the detention of thousands of protesters over the weekend had damaged India’s image. He criticised the police action against the CJP leadership, particularly their detention after arriving in the national capital by air.

“This fight has just started. This fight has become like a war created by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah,” Ranka said, appealing to people to join the agitation.

CJP Questions Heavy Security Deployment at Jantar Mantar
The party leaders also questioned the security arrangements around Jantar Mantar, arguing that the designated protest venue should remain accessible to people wishing to demonstrate peacefully.

Das alleged that the heavy deployment of security personnel had transformed the area into a fortress, causing inconvenience to residents and escalating tensions. “The people want to protest at the designated site. The government should have come forward to talk with us,” Das said, adding that the security arrangements had created a war-like atmosphere.

The leaders said their demonstrations would continue peacefully across the country until their demands were met.

“We are holding a protest march again today, and our agitation will continue until we get the resignation,” Ranka said.

Leaders Accuse Right-Wing Groups of Provoking Violence
Ranka and Das also accused right-wing groups of instigating violence and alleged that BJP members were supporting them.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police arrested four men on Sunday in connection with a viral video that allegedly showed a group of individuals assaulting young students and pushing and hitting women on DDU Marg in Delhi.

The accused reportedly claimed to be associated with the Hindu Raksha Dal, a right-wing organisation. The arrests came amid heightened tensions in the capital following the protests and the security measures imposed around the demonstration site.

The CJP leaders reiterated their intention to continue the agitation peacefully, while renewing their criticism of the police action and demanding that their concerns be addressed.