Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and other members for allegedly entering the denotified Jantar Mantar protest site without authorisation, officials said on Tuesday.
The action came hours after the activists allegedly breached heavy barricading at the site and raised slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Das, Ranka and other CJP members were detained early Tuesday for allegedly entering the area in violation of prohibitory orders. The outfit said around 11 of its members had been detained.
A police officer said the protesters were taken to Jaffarpur Kalan Police Station in Dwarka district. Security was stepped up around the police station after CJP workers gathered there.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke described the action as an attempt to reclaim Jantar Mantar, asserting that the denotification of the protest site would not deter the outfit from continuing its agitation.
Dipke, Das and Ranka were also detained on Saturday after arriving in Delhi amid a major security clampdown that thwarted the outfit's planned protest against Kumar.
They were released the following day on the condition that they would not breach the peace for a year.
The latest action comes amid heightened security in the national capital following protests by various organisations against Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.
Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar issued a standing order on October 11 designating Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as alternative sites for protests and demonstrations.
The CJP said the denotification of Jantar Mantar was announced on October 12, the same day its representatives approached Parliament Street Police Station seeking permission to hold a peaceful demonstration at the site.
The outfit has opposed the move, arguing that relocating protests away from the political centre of the national capital would diminish the visibility of public dissent.
(With inputs from PTI)
