Cockroach Janata Party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court challenging the Special Executive Magistrate’s order issued on Monday extending their custody by two days. The petition was filed in the afternoon through advocate Abhik Chimni.
The oufit’s legal affairs head Ratna Singh also informed of the development and said Das and Ranka should not have to spend “a single minute behind bars.”
In a post on X, she wrote, “We have moved the Delhi High Court and requested an urgent night hearing. 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,” she added.
SEM court extends custody
The move comes after a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) on Monday extended the judicial custody of Das and Ranka by two days over allegations that they breached security and entered Jantar Mantar during protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Delhi Police had sought further custody of the duo, claiming their release could disrupt “peace and tranquility.”
CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das and national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka were detained by the Delhi Police on October 13 after entering Jantar Mantar by jumping over its locked gates, a day after the site was de-notified as a protest site.
Following which, SEM sent the duo to five days of judicial custody after the Delhi Police argued that “there was a presumption that the accused might carry out a crime” if released.
