New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Wednesday celebrated the release of its leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, with party founder Abhijeet Dipke hailing the two as leaders far greater than himself and declaring that he was prepared to take directions from them.
Das and Ranka walked free after a special executive magistrate (SEM) ordered their release once their period of judicial custody ended. The case relates to the CJP’s protest at Jantar Mantar on October 14.
Taking to social media, Dipke praised the duo and said he would gladly accept their leadership. “Saurav and Ashu are not just better but much, much bigger leaders than me. Happy to follow your orders, my leaders. Jaan hazir hai!” he wrote.
He also added a light-hearted remark in Hindi: “Lekin iske baad mere bina garden mein koi akela nahi ghumega!!!” (But after this, don’t go alone in the garden without me).
Dipke later posted a picture of Das and Ranka, describing them simply as “My leaders”.
Party Hails Court Order
CJP legal head Ratna Singh welcomed the release but said the decision had been delayed.
“We welcome the decision. I think this decision should have been taken long ago, but it is not too late,” she said.
According to Singh, the police had asked for the two leaders’ custody to be extended by five days on the ground that a threat was looming. The defence countered that there was no evidence of any such threat and that no protest call had been issued.
“You cannot take that as an assumption and extend the judicial custody. The SEM has taken that on record,” she said.
Custody And Court Proceedings
Das and Ranka were first sent to five days of judicial custody on October 14 after they were detained for allegedly entering the denotified protest site at Jantar Mantar and breaching peace bonds. On October 19, their custody was extended by another two days.
Responding to the Delhi High Court’s remarks made earlier on Wednesday, Singh said the judge was free to voice an opinion, though the party did not necessarily share that view.
“They have given their opinion. It is an observation, an oral observation. There was no discussion on the merits in the court. We were here today for the release of Saurav and Ashutosh, for which we had been trying for the past week. Finally, that has happened,” she said.
Singh said party members were keen to reunite with the two leaders after their time in custody.
“The team is also very emotional right now. They also want to meet them because everyone has not met them for a long time,” she said.
She expressed the hope that no one would be denied liberty in future over sureties or technical issues. She said the release order had been sent and the party hoped to meet Das and Ranka soon.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court declined to intervene in their judicial custody, asking them to await the SEM court’s decision and approach the appellate court if needed.