Published Oct 21, 2026 | 6:45 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 21, 2026 | 6:45 PM
Ajinkya Shinde, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das in detention.
Synopsis: A Delhi magistrate court on Wednesday ordered the release of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka as their judicial remand was due to expire. The two were detained on 14 October while attempting to “reclaim” Jantar Mantar and remanded to five days’ judicial custody, which was extended by two days after the court rejected their fresh sureties. They withdrew their challenge to the extension in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday after Justice Subramonium Prasad expressed reluctance to hear their plea.
A Delhi magistrate court on Wednesday, 21 October ordered the release of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were produced before the court as their two-day judicial remand was due to expire.
Das and Ranka were remanded to five days’ judicial custody on October 14 after they were detained while attempting to “reclaim” Jantar Mantar. Their detention came a day after the Delhi Police denotified the central Delhi venue as a designated site for protests and demonstrations.
Their initial five-day judicial custody ended on Monday, 19 October. The Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) Court rejected their fresh sureties and extended their custody by two days.
Earlier on Wednesday, the two leaders withdrew their petition in the Delhi High Court challenging the extension of their judicial custody after Justice Subramonium Prasad expressed disinclination to entertain their writ petition.
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In their plea, Das and Ranka alleged that the magistrate had rejected their sureties in violation of the law and curtailed their constitutional right to liberty.
CJP head of legal affairs Ratna Singh had earlier demanded their release. She rejected reports that the leaders had refused to sign a peace bond or that their lawyers intended to challenge the Delhi Police notice before the High Court. She said the peace bond was not the issue before the magistrate.
Singh alleged that the magistrate remained on the phone inside the courtroom for three hours while writing the order. She also disputed the police’s claim that the leaders’ release posed a threat to peace.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
