High Court Mocks, Special Court Gives Relief For CJP Leaders

Cockroach Janata Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who have been detained and sent to judicial remand last week for entering Jantar Mantar after violating rules, have been ordered to be released by a Special Magistrate Court just a while ago.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Ritu Raj, acting as the magistrate, accepted the financial sureties offered by the defense team and officially ordered the immediate release of both Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after they spent seven days in jail.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court raised serious concerns about keeping public order during illegal street protests. The judge noted that even peaceful gatherings can quickly turn violent and cited protest riots in France as an example.

During the High Court hearing, a funny exchange happened between the judge and the defense lawyer. The judge asked about the exact ages of the two detained leaders. When lawyer Abhik Chimni said Saurav Das is 27 and Ashutosh Ranka is 32, Justice Prasad smiled and said they are not Gen Z because Generation Z includes people born after 1997.

Since the High Court pointed out that proper legal procedures should be followed in lower courts first, the leaders’ lawyer decided to withdraw the petition. Shortly after the High Court proceedings, the main update in the case came from the Special Executive Magistrate court in Delhi.

Police had tried to extend their custody by three more days, claiming the activists repeatedly broke peace rules. However, once all required documents and verified sureties were checked and approved by the magistrate, the release orders were cleared.

This development comes after CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke called for a temporary halt in the ongoing protests till Diwali. The next plan of action is yet to be revealed by the CJP.