New Delhi: Leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spent nearly five hours at Mandir Marg police station on Sunday waiting for a hearing on the release of party convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. The hearing lasted only eight to ten minutes, and the two men remain in judicial custody for the fifth day in a row.
Why the Hearing Ended So Quickly
According to CJP representatives, the special executive magistrate (SEM) reached the police station around 1.30pm to 2pm, but the hearing began only around 5pm.
During the short hearing, a police officer said the SEM, Mahesh Kumar Meena, had received threats over keeping the two men in custody. He said the magistrate was facing mental harassment and risk. As the SEM was preparing to leave, the public prosecutor said the matter needed to be investigated, according to those present.
Police later confirmed that an FIR was registered on the SEM’s complaint. The case is under provisions relating to criminal intimidation and threats. Police said the SEM had expressed concern about doing his duties under threat.
How the Case Began
Das and Ranka were detained on October 13. Police say they climbed the locked gates of Jantar Mantar, which is no longer a designated protest site, along with other CJP members to unfurl the national flag. They were then arrested.
In an order dated October 14, the SEM said the two had broken a surety bond signed on October 11 to maintain peace. He sent them to judicial custody for five days, noting that no “sound surety” had been produced at that stage. The matter was listed for further inquiry on October 19.
Police Claim Another Protest Is Planned
During the hearing, police alleged that CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were planning another protest. They pointed to Dipke’s reported remarks at the airport on Sunday that the party will plan its next course of action.
A CJP spokesperson denied this. The party said it has no protest planned and is not even posting about one on social media.
CJP Alleges Deliberate Delays
The party says it has been submitting surety bonds since October 15 and completing all formalities, yet fresh objections keep coming up.
Aafreen Nawaz, CJP’s national secretary, said members had been visiting the police station for four days. She alleged that officials rejected surety papers on different grounds, including objections to fixed deposits and the Delhi addresses of the people standing surety. “Once, they said IO is stuck in traffic. The other time, SHO arrived late,” she said. She also alleged that party volunteers had been picked up and threatened.
Ratna Singh, CJP’s head of legal affairs, said the public prosecutor arrived only after three days and the SEM came five hours late. She claimed the delay was deliberate and suspected it would be stretched further because Monday is a holiday.
Abhijeet Dipke accused the authorities of using delaying tactics in a post on X. He alleged the state had no legal grounds to keep the two men in jail.
Police Deny Wrongdoing
Delhi Police rejected the allegations. A senior officer said the party had been filing faulty surety bonds, which cannot be accepted. “We have to follow procedure,” the officer said.
What Happens Next
With a holiday on Monday, the release of Das and Ranka may be delayed further. Both sides are blaming each other, and the threat complaint by the SEM has now added a new police case to the dispute.
