The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a pointed warning to the so-called “Cockroach Party”, citing how protests in countries such as France have sometimes escalated from peaceful gatherings into arson and looting. The court said the police do not aim to stop lawful dissent, but intervene to prevent attacks and violence.
The case stems from the party’s call for a protest on October 10 demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Party leaders were detained before they could assemble at Jantar Mantar, and a trial court later released them after taking an undertaking that they would not hold protests for a year in a manner that could disturb public peace.
After the government removed the Jantar Mantar area from the list of designated protest sites, party leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das allegedly attempted to cross barricades and stage a protest despite restrictions. Delhi Police arrested them again on October 13, and they were sent to judicial custody, which was extended before they were produced again on Wednesday.
Hearing their challenge to the custody extension, Justice Subramaniam questioned why they breached an undertaking and entered a restricted area, calling such conduct unlawful. The judge also observed that breaking barricades could encourage others—possibly beyond the organisers’ control—to violate the law, and warned that outsiders could hijack a protest and tarnish the organisers’ name.
The court further asked why the petitioners approached the High Court under Article 226 when remedies before the trial court were available, and said the next legal steps could be considered after the trial court’s decision later in the day. Following the observations, counsel for the two leaders said the petition would be withdrawn; the court was told Ranka is 31 and Das is 26.
