The Cockroach Janta Party on Sunday alleged a “conspiracy” not to release its imprisoned leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, saying a prospective “hearing” on their case was aborted on Sunday.
CJP legal head Ratna Singh told reporters that after making the CJP team wait for hours, the public prosecutor claimed the special executive magistrate (SEM) — a police officer — had received a threat, and the interaction at the Mandir Marg police station was aborted.
“This conspiracy to not release Ashutosh and Saurav was visible…. And no arguments happened upon the merits of the case today,” Singh said.
Delhi police sources said no hearing had been scheduled for Sunday and that the matter would be heard only on Monday, when the five-day judicial remand of Das and Ranka expires.
Das, Ranka and a third CJP member, Ajinkya Shinde, had been arrested on October 13 when they “trespassed” on a compound that houses the Janata Dal United office, entered Jantar Mantar Road and waved the national flag.
The road has been de-notified as a protest site amid the massive agitation against the special intensive revision of electoral rolls and chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Shinde was released on October 14 while Das and Ranka were sent to five days’ judicial custody.
“The lawyers have been sitting here since morning. We were shocked to see what happened,” Singh told reporters in the evening.
“The SEM came here between 5pm and 5.30pm. The PP (public prosecutor), who did not come for four days, randomly came on the fifth today and did not discuss the case or their release.
“Instead, he said that the SEM had received a threatening message, and that ‘You cannot threaten us’. Our lawyers said that ‘If anyone has threatened you, then please act on that, put their number on the order, reveal their name. What does that have to do with the release of Ashutosh and Saurav?’”
Singh added: “The hearing was to have happened at 12 noon. It was delayed till the evening. We were not given any information as to when the hearing will happen. Nothing on record with respect to verification, nothing on record as to what they have on Saurav and Ashutosh….
“He (SEM) said, ‘I won’t listen, I will come tomorrow’. The public prosecutor raised his voice and tried to say that it was one of us who had sent the message. How is this related to the case?
“They have delayed the case by giving some reason or the other. Sureties have been delayed and not approved; FDs (fixed deposits) were not approved even though they had the stamp of the bank.
“(The) State’s lawyers are arguing for the ACP (assistant commissioner of police, who is the SEM). How do we accept that you are unbiased and will give us justice?…
“These arrests are illegal and a conspiracy by the State and the Delhi Police to keep Saurav and Ashutosh in custody. I won’t be shocked if they extend their custody tomorrow because they have already decided not to release them.”
Later, the CJP said in a statement quoting Singh: “When our legal team demanded that the authority register an official order, identify the sender (of the alleged threat), and initiate proper action against the individual responsible, the Magistrate and Prosecutor refused to proceed with the hearing on merits and prepared to leave.”
On Saturday, the CJP had said on X: “We have consulted Mr. Kapil Sibal (MP and senior advocate of the Supreme Court). If Ashu(tosh) and Saurav are not released by tomorrow, we will pursue legal action against all those who deliberately ensured that they continue to be in illegal custody especially when they have not committed nor (been) charged with any offence.
“The deliberate use of delaying tactics to keep them behind bars cannot go unchallenged. Those responsible will be held accountable.”