CJP activists Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have moved the Delhi High Court against the extension of their judicial custody.
The duo were detained on October 13 for allegedly climbing the barricades at Jantar Mantar. Their custody was extended by two days on October 19.
The special executive magistrate rejected their sureties, citing discrepancies in identification documents and concerns over their ability to ensure the activists’ presence before the court.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have approached the Delhi High Court challenging a special executive magistrate’s order extending their judicial custody till October 21.
The party’s legal head said they would seek an urgent hearing and request that the matter be listed on Tuesday.
Das and Ranka were detained by Delhi Police on October 13 for allegedly climbing the gates of the barricaded Jantar Mantar protest site. They were sent to judicial custody for five days on October 14, with their custody extended by two days on October 19.
In its order, the special executive magistrate (SEM) court said their conduct showed a lack of respect for the law and raised concerns about a possible breach of peace. It said their assurance that they would not repeat the alleged conduct did not inspire confidence, citing their calls for protests at de-notified areas.
The court also rejected the sureties produced for the activists. It noted a mismatch between the photograph on one surety’s bond and his Aadhaar card, while the other could not provide basic details about Das. The court said neither surety could ensure the activists’ presence before it.
Announcing the move to the High Court, the CJP’s legal head Ratna Singh said in a post on X, “Saurav and Ashutosh should not spend a single minute behind bars. Their liberty must not be curtailed because of political games. Justice must not wait.”
