Delhi Court Orders Release of CJP Leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka
A Delhi court has ordered the release of Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka after they spent seven days in jail. The order, reported on October 21, 2026, marks a significant development in the legal proceedings connected to their detention following a protest in the national capital.
Das and Ranka were detained after an incident at Jantar Mantar, where they allegedly entered a restricted protest site. The location had previously been removed from the list of designated venues for demonstrations, according to media reports.
The detention followed protests linked to demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CJP members and other protesters had raised concerns about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging irregularities in the voter-list revision process.
Delhi Police alleged that the two leaders had violated peace bonds and entered the site by climbing over a locked gate. These allegations formed part of the proceedings that led to their judicial custody. The claims remain allegations and should not be treated as a judicial finding of guilt.
The two leaders were initially remanded to five days of judicial custody on October 14. Their custody was subsequently extended by two days on October 19 after a magistrate rejected the sureties presented on their behalf, according to reports.
On October 21, the leaders also pursued legal relief before the Delhi High Court, challenging the proceedings that extended their custody. The High Court questioned their legal approach, and the leaders later withdrew their petitions, with the court directing them to pursue the appropriate legal remedy.
The release order from the magistrate court came after the leaders had spent seven days in jail. Earlier on Wednesday, Delhi Police had sought a further extension of their custody, making the latest order an important development in the case.
The case has drawn attention to the legal boundaries governing public demonstrations and the procedures authorities use to regulate protests. The release of Das and Ranka does not, by itself, resolve the wider dispute over the protest or the allegations surrounding their entry into Jantar Mantar. Further details of the court's order and any conditions attached to their release remain important to establishing the full legal position.