Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are scheduled to be produced before the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) at 2 pm on Monday, as their five-day judicial custody in connection with the Jantar Mantar trespassing case comes to an end.
Delhi Police said the custody order was passed in view of the leaders’ alleged repeated violations of the law and the apprehension that they could repeat such acts or instigate others if released. She expressed hope that the proceedings would not face further delays. Police alleged that they entered the protest site through private premises and obstructed personnel from performing their official duties. Advocate Abhisht Hela, who represents the CJP leaders, had questioned the decision to send Das and Ranka to judicial custody, alleging that the authorities had disregarded the Supreme Court’s guidelines.
“I sincerely hope there will be no further delays — no IO switching off phone for hours, no threatening messages, no hearing at 6 PM, no tyre puncture to be not able to produce them. Das and Ranka were sent to five-day judicial custody on October 14 by a Special Executive Magistrate after being detained in connection with an alleged trespassing incident at Jantar Mantar, which has been de-notified as a designated protest site. The two leaders, along with CJP member Ajinkya Shinde, were among 14 people detained on October 13.
Ratna Singh, head of CJP’s legal affairs, said the two leaders would be produced before the magistrate following the expiry of their custody. Basically no ‘Upar se orders’,” Singh said in a post on X.
