Delhi High Court Questions CJP Leaders Over Jantar Mantar Protest, Petition Withdrawn

Court Hearing And Withdrawal

Delhi High Court questioned Cockroach Party leaders Sourabh Das and Ashutosh Ranga over why they entered Jantar Mantar without permission and why they approached the High Court when the special executive magistrate was set to hear the case today. According to Asianet News Malayalam, the court observed that the leaders are not Gen Z and noted that they violated bond rules. The court asked whether the initial bond violation could be seen as a threat, and both leaders subsequently withdrew their writ petition following the court's suggestion, deciding to plan further legal steps after today's special executive magistrate court hearing.

Earlier Allegations

Before withdrawing the petition, the CJP legal cell head Ratna Singh had strongly criticized the extension of the judicial custody for seven days, calling the reasons absurd and alleging that the magistrate merely copied the police application while violating fundamental rights and natural justice. Sourabh Das and Ashutosh Ranga were initially taken into custody on October 13 for allegedly trespassing into Jantar Mantar, and their judicial custody had been extended until October 21.

Context

Legal challenges involving executive magistrate orders and bond conditions frequently raise complex questions about personal liberty versus public order maintenance in urban protest sites like Jantar Mantar. Courts often examine whether procedural rules and detention periods align strictly with constitutional protections during such demonstrations.