Jantar Mantar Trespassing Case: Delhi Police Shift CJP Activists' Probe to Crime Branch
Delhi Police move the trespassing case against CJP activists Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das to the Crime Branch. Read the full legal battle here.
The Delhi Police have escalated their investigation into the activities of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists, transferring the Jantar Mantar trespassing case involving Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das to the specialized Crime Branch. This move follows a similar transfer of another case against the duo related to an incident in Connaught Place.
Dual FIRs and the Shift to Crime Branch
Sources reveal that the Delhi Police had registered two separate First Information Reports (FIRs) on October 13. These cases were triggered after Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das allegedly entered Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar without authorization to conduct protests.
While the case pertaining to the Connaught Place incident was transferred to the Crime Branch recently, the second case—specifically dealing with the trespassing at Jantar Mantar—has now also been handed over to the elite unit for further investigation.
A Timeline of Detentions
The legal ordeal for the CJP representatives began even before the protests. According to their legal counsel, the sequence of events unfolded as follows:
- October 10: Das and Ranka were first detained upon their arrival at Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
- October 11: Preventive proceedings were initiated, and they were subsequently released after executing bonds worth ₹50,000 each.
- October 13: The duo was detained again after they visited Jantar Mantar while carrying the national flag.
- October 14: They were officially arrested under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Legal Battle Over Personal Liberty
The activists have now approached the Delhi High Court to challenge their continued detention. Their legal team is contesting an order passed on October 19 by a Special Executive Magistrate of the New Delhi district, which extended their judicial custody.
Arguments from the Defense
The lawyers for Ranka and Das argue that the decision to keep them in custody is arbitrary and violates their fundamental right to liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. They claim that the leaders have repeatedly furnished the required sureties, yet remain detained.
The legal team contends that the magistrate's rejection of fresh sureties on October 19 was contrary to established legal principles.
The Special Executive Magistrate had directed the activists to explain why there should not be an apprehension of a breach of peace, leading to the request for extended custody. The Delhi High Court is expected to hear the matter regarding the setting aside of the impugned order.