Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 22: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have been summoned by the Delhi Police Crime Branch to appear on Thursday in connection with a case related to their attempt to reach Jantar Mantar. The party’s national organisation in-charge, Ajinkya Shinde, has also been asked to appear before the police.

The three have been directed to appear at the Crime Branch office in Rajouri Garden. The police are investigating allegations of violating a government order under Section 188 and trespassing while the CJP leaders were heading towards Jantar Mantar, which has been de-notified as a protest site.

The summons were issued around 8.30 pm on Wednesday, hours after Das and Ranka were released by a special executive magistrate (SEM). Their release came after they submitted written undertakings to maintain peace and abide by the law. They were also directed to furnish personal and surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each until the conclusion of the enquiry.

“Further judicial custody does not appear to be necessary at this stage, particularly after written undertakings before this Court,” the SEM observed while passing the order.

Das and Ranka were detained earlier this month while attempting to enter Jantar Mantar. They were initially sent to five days of judicial custody until October 19, which was later extended until October 21.

The two leaders subsequently approached the Delhi High Court, which heard their plea on Wednesday. During the hearing, the court questioned their decision to approach it against the judicial custody order, observing that the appropriate remedy lay in revision proceedings before the competent court.

Following the court’s observations, Das and Ranka withdrew their plea and were later granted bail by the SEM.

The CJP welcomed their release, with founder Abhijeet Dipke describing the two leaders as “much, much bigger leaders” than himself in a post on X. He expressed happiness at their release and added humorously that they should not go walking in the garden alone without him.