Delhi court orders release of CJP leaders; CBI takes over Punjab activist murder probe

India Today · India Today Video Desk · 2026-10-21 18:26 UTC

A Special Executive Magistrate court in Delhi has ordered the release of Cockroach Janata Party co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after seven days in preventive detention at Tihar Jail. The leaders had been detained for entering a denotified area at Jantar Mantar to unfurl the national flag, following proceedings where the Delhi High Court directed them to approach the magistrate court first. Meanwhile, the drug menace in Punjab has triggered a political confrontation among the Aam Aadmi Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Congress. The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the probe into the murder of anti-drug activist Parwinder Singh Jota in Mansa following an announcement by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The move follows Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to affected families, where he raised concerns over synthetic drugs, while the AAP administration highlighted anti-drone operations and border seizures, and the Congress targeted the state government over whistleblower security and law and order.

A Special Executive Magistrate court in Delhi has ordered the release of Cockroach Janata Party co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after seven days in preventive detention at Tihar Jail. The leaders had been detained for entering a denotified area at Jantar Mantar to unfurl the national flag, following proceedings where the Delhi High Court directed them to approach the magistrate court first. Meanwhile, the drug menace in Punjab has triggered a political confrontation among the Aam Aadmi Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Congress. The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the probe into the murder of anti-drug activist Parwinder Singh Jota in Mansa following an announcement by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The move follows Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to affected families, where he raised concerns over synthetic drugs, while the AAP administration highlighted anti-drone operations and border seizures, and the Congress targeted the state government over whistleblower security and law and order.

Police investigating the October 18 firing at actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Mumbai suspect that the shooters initially targeted Salman Khan but changed their plan because of heavy security outside his Bandra home. The assailants allegedly conducted a recce of Khan’s Galaxy Apartments. Investigators suspect that police deployment and his Y-plus security cover prompted them to shift their focus to Shroff, who had comparatively limited security. The attackers allegedly tracked Shroff’s Sunday football routine through Instagram posts before targeting his vehicle. The investigation has spread across several states, with ten people arrested. Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested four suspects, including two women allegedly used as couriers to transport weapons from Amritsar to Mumbai. Former Mumbai Police Commissioner MN Singh and film industry representatives discussed whether such attacks were intended to intimidate the film industry for extortion or were linked to gang rivalries.

A Special Executive Magistrate Court has ordered the release of Cockroach Janta Party activists Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka from Tihar Jail on personal bonds of 50,000 rupees each alongside sureties. The order followed seven days of judicial custody over alleged breach of peace bond conditions and trespass at the denotified Jantar Mantar protest site. Both activists submitted undertakings pledging to maintain peace and refrain from staging demonstrations at the venue pending legal re-designation, with the next court hearing scheduled for 23 October 2026. Simultaneously, the Delhi High Court addressed the shift from student-focused causes to political regime change, reiterating that government transitions in India take place through ballots. The broadcast also covers the political confrontation involving BJP allegations against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi concerning foreign entities, legal analyses of preventive detention under the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, and the launch of Jio Platforms' 30,213 crore rupee initial public offering aimed at prepaying Reliance Jio Infocomm debt.

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