New Delhi, Oct 21 (UNI) Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka on Wednesday withdrew their plea from the Delhi High Court challenging a Special Executive Magistrate Court order extending their judicial custody by two days in connection with anti-CEC protests.
The withdrawal came after Justice Subramonium Prasad expressed reluctance to entertain the writ petition, citing the availability of an alternative remedy. Das and Ranka are scheduled to be produced before the SEM Court today as their two-day judicial custody expires. Justice Prasad advised them to withdraw the plea, observe the proceedings before the magistrate, and pursue remedies in accordance with law.
The court allowed the withdrawal without commenting on the merits. Advocate Abhik Chimni, appearing for Das and Ranka, sought the quashing of the October 19 order passed by the Special Executive Magistrate. The court noted that the petitioners were accused of violating their peace bonds by visiting Jantar Mantar, which was denotified as a protest site on October 11. The duo was remanded to five days of judicial custody on October 14 for allegedly violating peace bonds by attempting to unfurl the national flag at Jantar Mantar in breach of prohibitory orders.
Their custody was extended by two days on October 19. The High Court noted that the alleged breach involved entering Jantar Mantar, where protests had been prohibited, and breaking a barricade. It was also observed that the challenge to the site's denotification as a protest venue was pending before the Supreme Court, which had not stayed the order.
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