Delhi Court Orders Release of CJP Leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka in Jantar Mantar Case

Two Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, are set to be freed after a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) on Wednesday ordered their release from judicial custody in the Jantar Mantar trespassing case.

The activists were taken to Mandir Marg Police Station for production before the SEM court once their earlier judicial custody lapsed. CJP Legal Affairs Head Ratna Singh also reached the police station ahead of the hearing.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court permitted Das and Ranka to withdraw their plea seeking release and challenging the SEM court's order extending their custody, without expressing any view on the merits of the matter. A single-judge Bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad asked their counsel to consider withdrawing the petition and await the SEM court proceedings before pursuing an appropriate legal remedy, observing that if the activists got relief from the SEM court, continuing with the proceedings before it would serve no purpose.

The turn of events follows SEM Ritu Raj's Monday order extending the judicial custody of the two CJP leaders till October 21, noting that their conduct raised concerns over a possible breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquillity. The SEM court recorded that the two leaders had allegedly breached bonds furnished before the SEM, South-West District, on October 11 and later committed a breach of peace in the present case. The magistrate also cited material placed on record by the investigating officer regarding the apprehension of breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquillity. The order had further directed the duo to furnish fresh sureties after the earlier ones were found unfit following an inquiry.

Das and Ranka, along with CJP member Ajinkya Shinde, were among 14 people detained on October 13 after they allegedly entered Jantar Mantar through private premises and obstructed police personnel from discharging their duties. The CJP members were protesting against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and had raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Delhi Police had earlier opposed their release, citing alleged repeated violations of law and apprehensions that their release could lead to further violations and instigation of others.

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