Delhi court orders release of CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka
A SEM court accepted the sureties of the two activists, who were detained on October 13 after allegedly climbing the barricaded gates at Jantar Mantar
A Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court in Delhi on Wednesday ( October 21) ordered the release of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after accepting their sureties. The order came after Delhi Police sought a three-day extension of their judicial custody.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Ritu Raj, acting as the SEM, passed the release order. The two leaders were detained on October 13 after allegedly climbing the barricaded gates at Jantar Mantar.
Also read: CJP leaders in jail: Right to protest vs condition to maintain peace
They were sent to five days of judicial custody on October 14, which was extended by two days on October 19.
In its earlier order, the SEM court raised concerns about their conduct, citing the risk of a breach of peace and describing their calls for protests at de-notified sites as showing "habitualness". The court had also rejected their sureties as unfit.
Das and Ranka had challenged the October 19 order in the Delhi High Court, but withdrew the plea after Justice Subramonium Prasad said they could seek a revision if the SEM court did not grant relief.
'There were delays'
Ratna Singh, Head of Legal Affairs, CJP, told ANI, "There were delays, but today, finally, these boys are out. I think, as CJP, we absolutely feel that this was necessary. Now that they are out, we are all happy about it. We welcome the decision. We don't have the order copy right now. We were told that they would be released soon, but the order is not yet with us, so let's see when it comes out."
She added, "The High Court made certain oral observations, but those were their observations. Saurav Das is 27. He is absolutely Gen Z. Ashutosh is borderline Gen Z, and we relate to the cause of the youth. We are ultimately the youth of this country, so of course, we are the youth."
AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday welcomed the SEM's order releasing Saurav and Ashutosh and said the entire nation stands with them.
"Heartiest congratulations to Ashutosh and Saurav on receiving bail. Keep up the good fight for the country just like this. The entire nation stands with you," Kejriwal said in a post on X in Hindi.