Delhi Police Summon CJP Leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka After Jail Release

Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), have been summoned by the Delhi Police Crime Branch for questioning in two cases, a day after their release from Tihar Jail, the police said.

According to the notices, Mr Das and Mr Ranka have been asked to appear at the Crime Branch office in Rajouri Garden at noon on Thursday, October 22. A third person, identified as Mr Shinde, has also been summoned to join the questioning. The summons follow their release on Wednesday, October 21.

The investigation relates to allegations of trespassing at Jantar Mantar after the site was denotified as a protest area, obstructing police personnel on duty and disobedience of a government order, among other charges.

Jantar Mantar is a well-known site in central Delhi that has often been used for protests. According to the police, the site had been denotified as a protest area before the incident, and the FIRs allege that the CJP members entered it through private premises and obstructed officers on duty.

Mr Das and Mr Ranka were detained on October 13 in connection with climbing over the gates of the barricaded protest area. They were remanded to five days of judicial custody on October 14. Their custody was extended by two more days on October 19.

On October 21, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ritu Raj, presiding over the proceedings as a Special Executive Magistrate, accepted their sureties and ordered their release. The order came although the Delhi Police had sought a three-day extension of judicial custody, citing law-and-order concerns.

The summons were issued a day after the Delhi Police transferred two cases against the CJP leaders to the Crime Branch. The police cited the sensitive nature of the cases and the need for an impartial investigation. The branch will now handle the investigation into both FIRs.

The First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered on October 13 at the Connaught Place and Parliament Street police stations. According to the police, 14 CJP members allegedly entered the protest site through private premises and obstructed police personnel. The Connaught Place FIR was registered under Sections 223(a) (disobedience of an order duly promulgated by a public servant), 332 (house-trespass to commit an offence) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which replaced the Indian Penal Code.

The Parliament Street FIR invoked Sections 221 (voluntarily obstructing a public servant in the discharge of public functions), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 132 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging official duties), 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from discharging official duties) and 3(5) (acts done by several persons in furtherance of their common intention) of the BNS.

While Mr Das and Mr Ranka were sent to judicial custody for allegedly violating a peace bond they had previously signed, Mr Shinde was released after signing one, according to the police account. A peace bond is a written undertaking to maintain public order. The police have not announced any further action in the matter.