CJP moves Delhi High Court seeking urgent hearing after custody of Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das extended
The Cockroach Janta Party has moved the Delhi High Court seeking an urgent hearing after the judicial custody of their two leaders Ashutosh, Ranka and Saurav Das was extended by 2 days on October 19. The duo were taken into custody for entering Jantar Mantar a day after it was denotified as the main protest site by the Delhi Police and waving the tricolor and raising slogans.
“We have approached the Delhi high court and sought an urgent night hearing. Saurav and Ashutosh must be released. Their liberty cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political vendetta. Justice delayed is justice denied,” the CJP said in a post on X on Tuesday.
The special executive magistrate in Delhi on Monday extended the judicial custody of the two leaders by another two days after their initial five-day custody ended.
CJP’s legal head Ratna Sharma taking to X claimed that Saurav and Ashutosh should not spend a single minute behind bars. Their liberty must not be curtailed because of political games. “Justice must not wait”, her post mentioned.
The order from the SEM Ritu Raj who denied freedom to the legal leaders, as the CJP legal team sought their release, ruled that Das and Ranka showed ‘no respect for law’ in that they staged a protest at the denotified Jantar Mantar.
“I deem fit that an opportunity be given to the respondents and submissions advanced on both sides,” Ritu Raj said.
Court also noted that the photograph on the bond signed by the surety and the one on the Aadhaar card did not match, citing another reason to extend the judicial custody.
As per reports, the Jantar Mantar trespassing case has also been transferred, to the Crime Branch.
Expressing solidarity with their party leaders, calling them his family and saying his emotions reflect his love and concern for them, Deepke appealed to the people celebrating the festive season with their families to remember and Dass and Ranka who are not along with their loved ones.
The Delhi police on Monday sought further custody of duo, claiming that they would disturb the peace and tranquility. However, the CJP legal team countered the apprehension, arguing that there was not an iota of evidence to suggest that the duo posed any threat to maintaining peace and order in the city.
On the day of detention, Ranka shared a video on his X handle showing himself and Das and the outfit’s national organizer in charge, Ajinkya Shinde, climbing the locked gates and entering the venue. Police personnel present at the site immediately intervened them and took hold of them.