NEW DELHI – Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka withdrew their petition from the Delhi High Court on Wednesday, which had challenged a special executive magistrate’s decision extending their judicial custody.
Justice Subramonium Prasad suggested the withdrawal after noting that the petitioners should approach the revisional court first. The High Court observed that breaching security barricades and peace bonds creates a high risk of public disorder, drawing comparisons to how initial demonstrations can escalate. The matter is slated to return before the SEM court later in the day as their current remand expires.
Das and Ranka were initially detained on October 13 after scaling a locked gate to enter Jantar Mantar, a site denotified as an authorized protest venue by Delhi Police on October 11. Carrying the national flag, the pair staged a demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revisions.
The SEM court initially remanded them to five days of judicial custody on October 14 for violating prior preventive peace bonds. On October 19, the magistrate extended the custody by another two days after rejecting their furnished sureties, citing documentary discrepancies and doubts regarding compliance.
The arrests have sparked sharp reactions within the political group. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke posted an emotional video message on Instagram expressing solidarity with the detained leaders, stating that he views them as family and lamented their absence during the festive period.
Legal proceedings continue as the defense prepares for the upcoming hearing before the lower judicial authorities.
