Delhi Police Summons CJP Leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, Ajinkya Shinde In Jantar Mantar Case

Delhi Police Crime Branch has summoned Cockroach Janta Party leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde in the Jantar Mantar trespassing case, a day after Das and Ranka were released from Tihar Jail. News18 reported that notices were issued on Wednesday directing Das and Ranka to join the investigation on Thursday, October 22.

The case centres on allegations that Das and Ranka breached Jantar Mantar, which had been de-notified as a protest venue. The summons came immediately after their release and adds a fresh legal step in the same matter. All three — Das, Ranka and Shinde — have been asked to appear before the Crime Branch on Thursday, October 22.

Custody And Release

Das and Ranka had spent seven days in judicial custody in the case. On Wednesday, a special executive magistrate court in Delhi accepted their surety bonds and ordered their release, according to News18.

The two activists also moved the Delhi High Court on Wednesday to challenge their custody. The court asked them to wait for the SEM court’s decision and use other legal remedies available to them.

They later withdrew the plea. That brought the High Court challenge to a close even as the police moved ahead with the Crime Branch investigation.

High Court Questions

The High Court pressed the activists on why they had approached it under Article 226 of the Constitution when another legal remedy was available. “Your second incident. You are a person who has actually broken a bond. Your remedy actually lies in revision,” the court observed.

The bench also raised the question of stricter surety terms after what it described as a second breach of a peace bond. “Once you have broken peace for the second time, are the authorities not entitled to insist upon everything?” the court asked.

The court then linked the case to wider concerns over public order. It said breaching Jantar Mantar, which had been de-notified as a protest venue, could encourage others to violate prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. “The two petitioners here are at the forefront. When you go and break a barricade, the chances of 10 or 20 more people in violation of 163 are very high,” it said.

Party Response After Release

The party responded soon after the release. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke shared photos of Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das and described them as the “face” of “fearlessness”.

CJP’s legal team head Ratna Singh also welcomed the decision. “We welcome the decision. I think this decision should have been taken long ago, but it is not too late”, Singh said.