Bhubaneswar, October 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Odisha Leader of Opposition and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday extended his support to Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, demanding their immediate release from judicial custody.
Patnaik said that hoisting the national flag in a restricted area should not warrant prolonged detention. He urged the judiciary and executive to uphold constitutional rights and ensure that young people do not lose faith in the rule of law.
In a post on his official X account, Patnaik said, “The judicial custody of #AshutoshRanka and #SauravDas must be urgently reviewed and they must be released immediately. Hoisting the National Flag, even in a prohibited area, should not warrant such prolonged detention. The Judiciary and the Executive must rise to the occasion to ensure that the youth of this country do not lose faith in the rule of law and constitutional rights.”
Ranka and Das were among 14 people detained on October 13 after they allegedly entered Jantar Mantar, a de-notified protest site, through private premises and obstructed police personnel from discharging their official duties.
The two CJP leaders were initially remanded to five days of judicial custody on October 14 in connection with the case.
They had been protesting against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and raising slogans demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
On Monday, Special Executive Magistrate Ritu Raj extended the judicial custody of Ranka and Das by two days, until October 21. The magistrate cited their conduct as showing “no respect for law” and reflecting their “habitualness in calling protest at de-notified areas”.
In the order, the magistrate said the two leaders had deliberately violated the bonds they furnished on October 11 before the Special Executive Magistrate of the South-West district and subsequently committed a breach of peace in the present case.
The magistrate also observed that assurances given by the CJP leaders during arguments that they would not repeat the alleged offence did not inspire confidence, considering their past conduct and the material submitted by the investigating officer.
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