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Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka face fresh legal developments as both cases linked to the October 13 incidents move to the Delhi Police Crime Branch. (Img: X)
New Delhi: Trouble has mounted for Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka as Delhi Police transfers both cases linked to the alleged incidents at Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar to the Crime Branch. In a parallel development, the two activists have withdrawn their petition before the Delhi High Court challenging the extension of their judicial custody.
The developments mark a fresh turn in a legal dispute involving preventive detention, restrictions on protests and the constitutional right to personal liberty. With both FIRs now under the Crime Branch and the custody dispute returning to proceedings before the Special Executive Magistrate, the next legal steps could prove significant for the two CJP leaders.
Delhi Police has transferred both cases registered on October 13 in connection with the alleged entry of CJP leaders and other party members into Connaught Place and the Jantar Mantar area. The Connaught Place case was transferred on Tuesday, October 20, while the Jantar Mantar case was subsequently handed over to the Crime Branch.
The cases concern separate incidents involving the activists’ alleged entry into the two locations without the required authorisation. According to police allegations, Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka, Ajinkya Shinde and 11 other CJP members entered the Jantar Mantar area through private premises on October 13. The site had been de-notified as a designated protest location.
Police personnel intervened, and all 14 individuals were detained before two FIRs were registered. Both cases are now being investigated by the Crime Branch. The transfer does not, by itself, establish the allegations against the activists.
Jantar Mantar has historically been an important location for demonstrations and political mobilisation in New Delhi. Its de-notification as a designated protest site has brought questions concerning public access, permissions and restrictions on assemblies into focus.
According to the police allegations, the CJP members entered the area after climbing over a locked gate. The activists were reportedly carrying the national flag when the incident occurred.
The dispute raises questions about the regulation of demonstrations, access to restricted premises and the preventive powers available to authorities when they apprehend a possible breach of peace. The legality of the specific actions remains subject to the applicable legal process.
The legal sequence began before the October 13 incident. According to the activists’ legal team, Das and Ranka were first detained on October 10 after arriving at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.
Preventive proceedings were initiated the following day, after which they were released upon executing bonds of Rs 50,000 each. They were detained again on October 13 following the Jantar Mantar incident.
The two leaders were subsequently shown as arrested under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) on October 14. A Special Executive Magistrate remanded them to five days of judicial custody on the same day, citing alleged violations of the peace-bond conditions.
Their custody was extended by another two days through an order dated October 19. The extension became a major point of contention, prompting the CJP leaders to approach the Delhi High Court.
Das and Ranka challenged the October 19 order, arguing that they had submitted the necessary sureties but were not released. Their lawyers contended that the rejection of fresh sureties and the continuation of detention were arbitrary and infringed their fundamental right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
According to the legal team, the Special Executive Magistrate had asked the leaders to explain why there should not be an apprehension of a breach of peace. The lawyers questioned the legal basis for continuing their detention despite the documents submitted in support of their release.
The dispute centres on the application of preventive provisions under the BNSS and the safeguards governing detention. The activists maintain that the proceedings have infringed their constitutional rights, while the legal questions remain subject to the relevant judicial process.
On Tuesday, October 20, the two CJP leaders approached the Delhi High Court seeking urgent relief against the extension of their judicial custody. Their legal team requested expedited consideration, including an urgent hearing during the Dussehra vacation.
The party’s legal affairs head, Ratna Singh, publicly called for their release and alleged that their continued detention was politically motivated. The party also claimed that delays in the bail process were preventing the leaders from securing their release. These allegations have not been established as judicial findings.
The High Court agreed to hear the matter urgently on Wednesday, October 21. However, in a subsequent development, Das and Ranka withdrew their petition challenging the extension of their judicial custody.
The withdrawal came after the High Court agreed to take up the matter urgently. The two leaders are expected to decide their next course of action following another hearing before the Special Executive Magistrate.
The Crime Branch will investigate both FIRs concerning the alleged incidents at Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar. The transfer consolidates the investigations under one police unit, but it does not amount to a finding of guilt.
