A Delhi magistrate ordered Das and Ranka’s release after a week in custody.
They withdrew their High Court petition earlier after questions about alternative remedies.
Their custody followed alleged peace-bond violations during a Tiranga protest at Jantar Mantar.
A Special Executive Magistrate in Delhi on Wednesday ordered the release of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, a week after they were taken into custody over a Tiranga protest at Jantar Mantar.
The order came came after the two withdrew their Delhi High Court petition challenging the extension of their judicial custody after the court questioned their choice of legal remedy and noted that proceedings before the magistrate were scheduled for the same day.
The leaders were apprehended on October 14 after entering Jantar Mantar and unfurling the national flag, allegedly violating prohibitory orders and peace bonds executed earlier.
Executive Magistrate Mahesh Kumar Meena initially remanded them to five days of judicial custody. On October 19, Special Executive Magistrate Ritu Raj extended their custody by two days.
That order said they had deliberately breached their bonds and cited police apprehensions about their alleged repeated calls for protests at de-notified venues. The magistrate said their assurance against repeating the conduct did not inspire confidence, given the material submitted by police.
The order also required fresh sureties after recording discrepancies between photographs on the bond documents and Aadhaar cards, as well as unsatisfactory answers during the inquiry.
'You Are Not Gen Z', Says Delhi High Court
Earlier in the day, Das and Ranka had sought the quashing of the custody extension and their immediate release, arguing that their detention was illegal and violated their right to personal liberty.
Justice Subramonium Prasad asked why they had approached the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution when a revision petition was available to challenge the order, Bar and Bench reported.
“Your second incident. You are a person who has actually broken a bond. Your remedy actually lies in revision,” the judge observed.
He suggested that the petitioners await the magistrate’s decision before assessing their legal options.
“What if you are released today? This is not the final hearing today. I will have to ask the State to file a response,” the court said, according to Bar and Bench.
During the hearing, advocate Abhik Chimni said Das was 27 and Ranka was 32. The judge responded, “Then you are not Gen Z. What is Gen Z?” After being told the term generally referred to people born after 1997, he reiterated the observation.
Protests Against Chief Election Commissioner
Das and Ranka were first apprehended at Delhi airport on October 10 ahead of demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Preventive proceedings were initiated under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
They were released on October 11 after being required to furnish peace bonds of ₹50,000 each.
Along with CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, they have been demanding Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Dipke had said he would wait for their release before planning further activities.
