Delhi SEM orders release of CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka

A Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) on Wednesday ordered the release of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after their judicial custody expired, PTI reported.

The two leaders were produced before the magistrate, where their sureties were also submitted during the proceedings, the report said.

Their custody was due to expire on Wednesday after being extended by two days on October 19.


Das and Ranka were initially remanded to five days of judicial custody on October 14 in connection with a protest at Jantar Mantar.

They were detained for allegedly entering the denotified protest site and violating peace bonds.

Earlier on Wednesday, the two leaders withdrew their petition in the Delhi High Court challenging the extension of their custody.

Justice Subramonium Prasad advised them to await the magistrate's decision and said they could approach the appellate court if their grievance remained unresolved.

The High Court clarified that allowing the withdrawal did not amount to any observation on the merits of their case. It also orally observed that a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution was not an appropriate remedy in the matter.

The case stemmed from the October 13 protest, during which CJP members displayed the national flag and raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Delhi Police had sought a further extension of the leaders' judicial custody before the SEM, police sources had told PTI earlier on Wednesday.

Separately, the police transferred FIRs related to incidents at Jantar Mantar and Connaught Place on October 13 to its Crime Branch, ANI reported, citing sources.