CJP Leaders Released After Written Assurances
Cockroach Janata Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka walked out of Tihar Jail on October 21 after spending a week in custody. Their release followed an order by Special Executive Magistrate ACP Ritu Raj, who accepted written undertakings to maintain peace. The magistrate declined a police request to extend their judicial custody by another three days, concluding that bonds and assurances could address concerns about a possible breach of peace. The inquiry remains ongoing.
Release Conditions Include Peace Bonds
Das and Ranka furnished personal bonds and sureties of ₹50,000 each. They agreed to attend every hearing, comply with their undertakings and refrain from calling protests at Jantar Mantar while it remains denotified as a protest site. Both said any demonstrations they undertake would remain within the constitutional framework. The next hearing is scheduled for October 23 at 3 PM, when the leaders and their sureties must appear.
Police had argued that concerns about a breach of peace persisted and alleged inconsistencies in the leaders’ statements. Their counsel offered an unconditional apology concerning conduct raised during the proceedings and assured the magistrate that it would not recur.
Delhi High Court Petition Withdrawn
Earlier that day, Das and Ranka withdrew their Delhi High Court petition challenging the extension of their custody. Justice Subramonium Prasad questioned whether they should first pursue alternative legal remedies and await the magistrate’s decision. Their lawyer challenged the justification for continued custody and the repeated rejection of sureties. The High Court permitted withdrawal without expressing an opinion on the merits.
The two were initially detained at Delhi airport on October 10 and released after furnishing peace bonds. They were apprehended again on October 14 for allegedly entering Jantar Mantar during a Tiranga march and breaching those bonds. Their initial five-day judicial custody was subsequently extended by two days.
CJP Welcomes Release Of Leaders
CJP legal head Ratna Singh welcomed the decision while saying the leaders should have been released earlier. AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal also welcomed their release, while CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke shared a celebratory social media post. Das and Ranka have been demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and voter-name deletions. Those allegations form the background to their campaign; the release order concerns their custody and peace undertakings.
