Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were released from Tihar Jail on Wednesday evening after a Delhi Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court rejected the police plea for three more days of custody and ordered their release on personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each, backed by surety bonds of the same amount. The two leaders gave written undertakings to maintain peace and not to call protests at Jantar Mantar while the site remains de-notified. They had spent seven days in judicial custody in the Jantar Mantar protest case, and the proceedings against them continue, with the next hearing on October 23.

CJP Leaders Released on Rs 50,000 Personal Bonds

Delhi Police had asked the court to extend the leaders' judicial custody by three days, arguing that apprehensions of a breach of peace persisted in view of their previous conduct and statements in the media. The police also argued that Das and Ranka had made contradictory statements before the court and in the media about their willingness to refrain from similar activities, and cited a media statement by another CJP member as undermining the authority of the court.

Counsel for Das and Ranka tendered an unconditional apology and assured the court that such conduct would not be repeated. SEM Ritu Raj then ordered the release, holding that the measures needed to prevent a breach of peace could be adequately secured through the bonds, supported by the written undertakings, and that further judicial custody did not appear necessary at this stage.

Written Undertaking: Conditions Accepted by the Leaders

In separate written undertakings, both leaders promised not to breach the peace and specifically agreed not to make calls for protest at Jantar Mantar till the site is de-notified in accordance with law. They affirmed their faith in the judiciary and its institutions, and undertook to ensure that any protest they organise remains within the constitutional framework.

The bonds will remain in force until the conclusion of the inquiry. Both leaders must comply with the conditions, appear at every hearing, and their sureties must also appear at the next hearing. The investigating officer has been asked to submit a verification report on the sureties.

Why Were the CJP Leaders Detained?

Das and Ranka were taken into custody on October 13 after entering Jantar Mantar, which had been de-notified as a protest site two days earlier, and were sent to five days of judicial custody on October 14. Their custody was extended by two days on October 19 after their sureties were rejected, and it was due to expire on Wednesday.

The two had also moved the Delhi High Court against the custody extension, but withdrew that plea on Wednesday afternoon, hours before the SEM court ordered their release. The case arises from CJP's protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Dipke, Ratna Singh and Kejriwal React

CJP welcomed the order, with founder Abhijeet Dipke calling the two leaders "much, much bigger leaders" than himself. "Saurav and Ashu are not just better but much, much bigger leaders than me. Happy to follow your orders, my leaders. Jaan hazir hai!" Dipke said in a social media post, sharing their photograph.

The party's legal head Ratna Singh said the decision should have come earlier. "We welcome the decision. I think this decision should have been taken long ago, but it is not too late," she said, adding that the team was emotional and eager to meet the two leaders. AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal also welcomed the order and said the entire nation stands with them. On walking out of Tihar, Ranka was heard raising the slogan "Inquilab Zindabad".

Release Does Not Mean Acquittal: Next Hearing on October 23

The proceedings against Das and Ranka are preventive in nature, under Sections 130 and 135 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which deal with bonds for keeping the peace. They are not, by themselves, a criminal conviction, and Wednesday's order does not acquit the two leaders or close the case.

The next hearing is scheduled for October 23 at 3 PM, when the surety verification and other procedural matters are expected to come up. The leaders remain bound by the conditions of their bonds and undertakings until the inquiry concludes.