New Delhi: Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka on Wednesday withdrew their petition in the Delhi High Court challenging a two-day extension of their judicial custody over protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Justice Subramonium Prasad permitted the withdrawal after questioning whether the leaders should pursue alternative legal remedies against the October 19 order passed by Special Executive Magistrate Ritu Raj.
The court clarified that it had made no observations on the petition’s merits and asked them to await proceedings before the magistrate.
Their lawyer, Abhik Chimni, argued that the custody order did not adequately explain the imminent threat to peace or justify continued custody.
He also challenged the rejection of their sureties and sought release on personal bonds.
The court noted that the leaders had allegedly breached peace bonds furnished on October 11 by visiting Jantar Mantar, which had been denotified as a protest site.
It also referred to an alleged barricade breach and stressed that remedies under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) should be considered.
Das and Ranka were detained on October 10 ahead of planned protests and released after furnishing ₹50,000 peace bonds.
They were apprehended again on October 14 following an attempted Tiranga protest.
The magistrate later ordered fresh sureties, citing discrepancies in documents and concerns about their suitability.
Following the withdrawal, the leaders can pursue proceedings before the magistrate and other available legal remedies.
