CJP co-convener Ashutosh Ranka, team detained in Guwahati; lawyers allegedly denied entry

Guwahati: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convener Ashutosh Ranka and members of his team have been detained in Guwahati, according to posts shared by members of the organisation on Sunday.

CJP’s legal affairs head Ratna Singh said in a post on X that Assam Police had detained Ranka and others. She questioned the circumstances surrounding the detention and raised concerns over what she described as restrictions on the right to peaceful assembly.

“People’s democratic rights cannot be curtailed arbitrarily,” Singh said, while criticising the Assam government over the detention.

In another post, she alleged that lawyers were being denied entry to the premises where its members were being detained.

The post also alleged that Assam Police had seized the mobile phones of CJP members and questioned why detained persons were being denied what the organisation described as their basic legal rights.

CJP seeks explanation from Assam authorities

The organisation has called on the authorities to explain the legal basis for the restrictions and ensure that the rights of those detained are protected.

At present, the statements shared by CJP do not provide details on the reason cited by Assam Police for the detention, the number of people detained, or whether any charges have been filed.