CJP Leaders Withdraw Plea in Delhi High Court: What’s Next for Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka?

CJP Leaders Step Back from Legal Challenge

New Delhi: Leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, have decided to withdraw their petition from the Delhi High Court that contested the extension of their judicial custody by a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM).

Justice Subramonium Prasad advised the legal representatives of the CJP co-conveners to wait for the SEM's upcoming hearing and suggested they could approach the appellate court if their concerns persist.

While allowing the withdrawal, the judge emphasized that he had not commented on the merits of the case.

During the proceedings, the court noted that a petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution was not suitable for this situation.

The case was brought to the court's attention after the CJP leaders requested an urgent hearing, despite the court being closed for the Dussehra holiday.

Das and Ranka challenged the SEM's order from October 19, which had placed them in judicial custody for two days.

They were taken into custody on October 13 after allegedly breaching a locked gate to access Jantar Mantar, a site that had been previously denotified for protests, leading to a five-day judicial remand.

A newly appointed SEM at the Mandir Marg police station ordered their remand until October 21 after they were presented before him.

Alongside other CJP members, Das and Ranka had displayed the national flag at the location and shouted slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar before their preventive arrest on October 13.