Delhi court orders release of CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das as ACP accept sureties

PTC News Desk: Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were released on Wednesday by a Delhi Special Executive Magistrate (SEM), hours after they withdrew their petition from the Delhi High Court challenging the extension of their judicial custody.

The two leaders had been detained after attempting to hold a Tiranga protest at Jantar Mantar on October 14 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Subramonium Prasad questioned why they had approached the Delhi High Court without first trying other available legal options. He suggested that they wait for the SEM’s proceedings later in the day before deciding on their next legal move.

Appearing for Das and Ranka, advocate Abhik Chimni argued that the SEM’s October 19 order extending their custody by two days did not clearly explain why the two leaders posed an immediate threat. He also challenged the repeated rejection of their sureties, calling it arbitrary, and requested their release on personal bonds.

The High Court said they could use the legal remedies available under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to challenge the decisions.

During the hearing, the court also considered allegations that the leaders had violated their peace bonds by attempting to protest at Jantar Mantar, which was no longer officially designated as a protest site. The court noted that the decision had been challenged in the Supreme Court but had not been stayed.

Why were they detained ?

Das and Ranka were first detained at an airport on October 10, ahead of planned protests against the Chief Election Commissioner. Proceedings were initiated against them under Sections 126 and 170 of the BNSS. They were released the same day after submitting peace bonds of Rs 50,000 each.

They were detained again on October 14 after allegedly attempting to hold the protest at Jantar Mantar.

In her October 19 order, SEM Ritu Raj said the two leaders had deliberately violated their peace bonds. She also directed them to submit fresh sureties after finding discrepancies in their documents and being dissatisfied with their responses during the inquiry.