New Delhi: A special executive magistrate (SEM) on Wednesday ordered the release of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after the expiry of judicial custody in connection with the October 14 protest at Jantar Mantar.
The two were produced before the SEM, where their sureties were also submitted during the proceedings.
Das and Ranka were initially remanded to five days of judicial custody on October 14 after being detained for allegedly entering the denotified protest site of Jantar Mantar and violating peace bonds.
Their custody was extended by two days on October 19 and was due to expire on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court refused to interfere with their judicial custody, asking them to await the SEM court’s decision and approach the appellate court if their grievance persisted.
The development comes after the Delhi High Court on Wednesday heard a petition filed by the CJP leaders challenging the SEM court’s order extending their judicial custody till October 21.
The petitioners subsequently withdrew their plea after the high court refused to entertain it.
During the hearing, Justice Subramonium Prasad asked Abhik Chimni, counsel for the petitioners, about their ages. Chimni informed the court that Saurav Das was 27 years old and Ashutosh Ranka was 32.
“Then you are not Gen Z. What is Gen Z? Court is informed that people born after 1997 are Gen Z. Then you are not Gen Z,” the court remarked.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke also reacted to the court’s remarks. He shared a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X, captioning it, “The only person who qualifies as a Gen Z.
The two were first detained and subsequently sent to judicial custody on October 13 for allegations that they breached security and entered Jantar Mantar during protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
On October 19, the SEM extended the judicial custody by two days after Delhi Police claimed their release could disrupt “peace and tranquility.”
In its order, the SEM court said Das and Ranka’s conduct showed a lack of respect for the law and raised serious concerns about their potential to disturb public peace and tranquillity.
It also noted their “habitualness” in calling for protests in de-notified areas. The court further rejected the sureties submitted for Das and Ranka, finding them unfit.
‘Barricade there for a purpose’: Delhi HC
During the Wednesday hearing, the Delhi HC also questioned the petitioners’ conduct, pointing out that they were at the forefront of the protest and had allegedly breached barricades despite not having permission.
“Barricade is there for a purpose… and when you break the barricade, there is a chance of 10-20 people coming,” the court told duo’s lawyer Abhik Chimni, referring to incidents of “arson” and unrest in other countries.
“We are seeing what is happening outside our country… Arson etc. You may have started with something you say is peaceful. For that purpose you take police permission which is to prevent unwanted persons who join your group and spoil your name,” Bar and Bench quoted the high court as observing.
