Lawyers seek urgent night hearing during Dussehra court recess.
TBS Report
20 October, 2026, 07:10 pm
Last modified: 20 October, 2026, 07:22 pm
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have approached the Delhi High Court seeking an urgent hearing against the extension of their judicial custody.
The leaders sought a night hearing today (20 October), although the court is closed this week for the Dussehra vacation.
On Monday, a newly appointed Special Executive Magistrate at Mandir Marg Police Station ordered their judicial remand for two more days after they were produced before him.
Das and Ranka were taken into custody on 13 October after allegedly climbing over a locked gate to enter Jantar Mantar, which had been denotified as a designated protest site. They were subsequently sent to five days of judicial custody.
"We have moved the Delhi High Court and requested an urgent night hearing. Saurav and Ashutosh should not spend a single minute behind bars. Their liberty must not be curtailed because of political games. Justice must not wait," CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh said in a post on X.
The party has alleged that the bail proceedings have been deliberately delayed to prevent the release of its two co-convenors.
Before their detention, Das and Ranka joined other CJP workers in displaying the national flag at Jantar Mantar and raising slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged manipulation of electoral rolls.
They were detained and placed under preventive arrest after entering the site.