Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka appeared at Delhi's Mandir Marg Police Station on Friday afternoon for questioning in two cases registered against them. Their visit came a day after they failed to appear in response to police summons, having earlier sought more time to join the investigation.
Das briefly spoke to reporters outside the police station but did not spell out his next move. Asked whether he would approach the high court, he said, “Let's see what happens here,”. He was accompanied by CJP's legal affairs head, Ratna Singh.
Police had issued summons to three CJP members
The Delhi Police Crime Branch had asked Das, Ranka and fellow party member Ajinkya Shinde to join the probe on Thursday. However, none of them appeared, according to a senior police officer. The officer said the leaders had first requested an extension but did not turn up later.
“Earlier, they asked for a time extension and later, they didn’t come,” the officer said, adding that fresh notices would be sent to all three.
CJP leaders were released after seven days in custody
The cases stem from an incident on October 13, when Das, Ranka, Shinde and 10 other CJP members climbed an iron gate to enter Jantar Mantar, which was not then notified as a designated protest site. The group was detained shortly afterwards. While the other members were released within 24 hours, Das and Ranka were arrested over a bond they had signed on October 11, committing to maintain peace for a year.
The two were initially remanded to five days of judicial custody. Their custody was extended by another two days on October 19, with the magistrate court citing their alleged disregard for the law and raising concerns over the sureties submitted by their counsel.
Release came with an undertaking on protests
On Wednesday, the special executive magistrate ordered their release after the two leaders agreed not to call for protests at Jantar Mantar until it is re-notified as a designated protest site.
In written undertakings submitted before assistant commissioner of police Ritu Raj, who was acting as the special executive magistrate for New Delhi district, they pledged to maintain peace and public order. They also promised “not to commit any breach of peace” and expressed “full faith” in the judiciary and the SEM court.
Their undertaking stated that any protest they organised would remain “within the four corners of the constitution”.