Special Executive Magistrate Orders Release of CJP Leaders Das and Ranka

What Happened

A Special Executive Magistrate ordered the release of Cockroach Janta Party co‑convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. The duo were taken to Mandir Marg Police Station, their sureties were posted and they were produced before the magistrate. They had been sent to judicial custody earlier in the week.

Reaction

The Delhi High Court declined to intervene, directing Das and Ranka to await the SEM hearing and to approach an appellate court if they remained dissatisfied. The court’s refusal left the two in custody until the magistrate’s order.

Context

The activists were first detained on October 13 for allegedly breaching security and entering the denotified protest site at Jantar Mantar during demonstrations against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Their initial five‑day judicial custody, imposed on October 14, was extended by two days on October 19 before the release order on the 21st.