New Delhi, Oct 21: A special executive magistrate court on Wednesday ordered the release of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after they gave written undertakings that they won’t breach peace or call for protests at Jantar Mantar as long as the site remains denotified.
The two were directed to furnish personal bonds and surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each until the conclusion of the inquiry.
They furnished the bonds and ACP Ritu Raj, acting as the special executive magistrate (SEM), ordered their release from Tihar Jail.
The order came after the police sought a three-day extension of their judicial custody, arguing that apprehensions of a breach of peace and disturbance of law and order persisted in view of their previous conduct and statements made in the media.
The police also argued that Das and Ranka had given contradictory statements before the court and in the media regarding their willingness to refrain from similar activities.
Their written reply submitted during Wednesday’s proceedings was also cited as being contrary to their earlier submissions, according to the order.
The CJP welcomed the release of Das and Ranka, with founder Abhijeet Dipke calling them “much, much bigger leaders” than himself and legal head Ratna Singh saying the decision should have come earlier.
“Saurav and Ashu are not just better but much, much bigger leaders than me. Happy to follow your orders, my leaders. Jaan hazir hai,” Dipke said in a post on X.
He added a playful remark in Hindi, saying, “Lekin iske baad mere bina garden mein koi akela nahi ghumega!!! (After this, don’t go walking in the garden without me).”
In another post, Dipke shared a photograph of Das and Ranka and captioned it “My leaders.”
Singh said this “decision should have been taken long ago, but it is not too late”.
She said the team was emotional and eager to meet Das and Ranka.
She also expressed hope that nobody’s liberty would be curtailed in the future over issues related to sureties or technical reasons.
AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal also welcomed the SEM’s order releasing Das and Ranka and said the entire nation stands with them.
Earlier, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said the judicial detention of Ranka and Das was linked to a violation of a peace bond and not to their attempt to unfurl the national flag.
During the hearing, the police further referred to a statement by another CJP member to the media while the leaders were being taken to Tihar Jail after the previous hearing, arguing that it undermined the authority of the SEM court.
The counsel for Das and Ranka tendered an unconditional apology and assured the court that such conduct would not be repeated.
The magistrate, however, observed that the immediate preventive measures required to maintain peace and public tranquillity could be adequately secured through the execution of bonds and the written undertakings furnished by the two leaders.
The court held that their further judicial custody was not necessary at this stage in view of the assurances given before it.
In their separate undertakings, Das and Ranka promised not to commit any breach of peace and expressed faith in the judiciary and its institutions, including the SEM court.
They specifically undertook not to make calls for protests at Jantar Mantar until the site is denotified in accordance with law and said any protest undertaken by them would remain within the constitutional framework.
The magistrate directed the investigating officer to submit a verification report on the sureties at the next hearing. The two leaders and their sureties have also been directed to remain present on the next date of hearing.
The court further directed Das and Ranka to appear on every date of the proceedings and strictly comply with the conditions of their bonds and voluntary undertakings, while maintaining law and order and ensuring that public tranquillity is not disturbed. The inquiry will continue in accordance with law, the order stated.
The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for October 23 at 3 pm.
Das and Ranka were initially remanded in five days of judicial custody on October 14 after being detained in connection with the CJP’s protest, allegedly for entering the denotified protest site at Jantar Mantar and violating peace bonds. Their custody was extended by two days on October 19 and was due to expire on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court refused to interfere with their judicial custody, asking them to await the SEM court’s decision and approach the appellate court if their grievance persisted.
The proceedings against the two leaders were initiated by the Parliament Street police under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) as preventive measures amid apprehensions of a breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquillity during the protests.
