CJP Leaders’ Bail Hearing: Magistrate Alleges Threats, FIR Registered In Delhi

A Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) hearing the case of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das has alleged that unidentified people threatened him to secure the release of the two leaders, prompting Delhi Police to register an FIR, a senior police officer said.

The FIR was registered in New Delhi district under sections relating to criminal intimidation following the magistrate’s complaint, the officer added.

Ranka and Das remained in judicial custody for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday after being detained over alleged breaches of peace. CJP spokesperson Ratna Singh, meanwhile, accused the police of deliberately delaying their bail proceedings.

“The hearing in the matter was supposed to happen at 12 pm. But they kept pushing it till evening. After coming into the courtroom at about 5 pm, he (the SEM) said that he is receiving threats,” Singh told reporters.

Questioning the relevance of the alleged threats to the bail proceedings, she said the authorities were refusing to approve the sureties and deliberately keeping the two leaders behind bars.

Singh also alleged that the proceedings focused largely on the threatening messages after the Public Prosecutor appeared in court for the first time since the arrests.

“We are now going to discuss it with our lawyers and think about what steps to take,” she said.

Why Are CJP Leaders In Judicial Custody?

According to the Special Executive Magistrate court’s order dated October 14, Ranka and Das were remanded to five days of judicial custody over concerns that their conduct could disturb public peace and tranquillity.

The order cited their alleged violation of lawful directions and a previous bond executed to maintain peace under Section 136 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

It also referred to their alleged conduct, social media posts and a complainant’s statement as grounds for concluding that they could breach peace again. The legal team had initially not furnished sureties, according to the order.

Jantar Mantar Entry Led To Arrests

The case stems from an incident on October 13, when a group of 14 people, including Ranka, Das and CJP national organisation in-charge Ajinkya Shinde, allegedly entered Jantar Mantar after it had been denotified as a designated protest site.

According to police, the group accessed the area through a narrow lane behind the Janata Dal (United) office, climbed over a locked iron gate and entered the premises. The members allegedly unfurled the Tricolour and raised slogans before being detained.

In a statement, Delhi Police said the group had entered Jantar Mantar by trespassing through private premises. Police also alleged that CJP members had conducted a reconnaissance of the area on Monday night to identify an entry route, as the site was heavily barricaded and guarded.

A police officer further claimed that members of the group jostled with personnel attempting to stop them and obstructed them in the discharge of their duties.

Two Cases Registered Against The Group

Two separate cases were registered in connection with the incident.

• Connaught Place police station: The case includes provisions relating to disobedience of an order issued by a public servant, house trespass and criminal conspiracy.
• Parliament Street police station: A separate case was registered in connection with the alleged unlawful entry and related activities.

Police said Ranka, Das and Shinde were arrested under preventive legal provisions, citing alleged repeated attempts to disturb public peace and violate the law. Their alleged attempts to encourage similar activities through social media were also taken into account, according to the police statement.

With the magistrate’s complaint over alleged threats now leading to a separate FIR, the dispute has added another dimension to the legal proceedings surrounding the CJP leaders’ arrests and bail applications.