Delhi High Court To Urgently Hear Detention Pleas Of Neha Bora

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday agreed to hear, on an urgent basis, petitions linked to the detention of Cockroach Janta Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka and a police notice issued to All India Students' Association president Neha Bora, Press Trust of India reported.

Justice Subramonium Prasad will hear Das and Ranka's challenge to a Special Executive Magistrate's order extending their judicial custody. He will also take up Bora's petition against an October 17 notice that asked her to furnish a bond for "keeping peace".

The matter is being heard fast because the court is shut this week for the Dussehra vacation. It will now test whether Das and Ranka can remain in custody and whether Bora's notice holds up.

Custody Challenge Details

Das and Ranka are challenging the October 19 order that remanded them in judicial custody for two days. They moved the High Court even as it stays shut this week for the Dussehra vacation.

Police took Das and Ranka into custody on October 13 after they allegedly scaled a locked gate to get into Jantar Mantar. The site had already stopped being a designated protest venue.

A Special Executive Magistrate ordered five days of judicial custody on October 14. On Monday, a newly appointed magistrate at Mandir Marg police station produced them again and extended the remand till October 21.

Protest And Police Claims

Das and Ranka joined other party workers at the site, hoisted the national flag and shouted slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar before police detained them and placed them under preventive arrest.

Delhi Police told PTI the protesters had entered the site by crossing private property and had blocked police personnel from doing their official work.

The party has alleged that the bail proceedings were deliberately delayed to prevent the release of its two co-convenors.

Bora Bond Notice

Bora is challenging a notice under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. It required her to appear before the magistrate on October 19 and explain why she should not submit a personal bond of Rs 10,000, with one surety, "for keeping peace for a period of enquiry".

Section 126 lets a Special Executive Magistrate ask for a bond when credible information suggests a person may breach peace, disturb public tranquillity or take part in conduct that could trigger such disorder.

Bora was held preventively on October 16 as she headed to the party's 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march. She walked free on October 17.