CJP alleges ‘deliberate delay’ in release of Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das

A first information report was filed against unidentified persons for allegedly threatening the magistrate scheduled to hear the bail applications.

CJP alleges ‘deliberate delay’ in release of Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das

The Cockroach Janta Party political campaign on Sunday alleged that the authorities were deliberately delaying the release of its leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das by prolonging their bail hearings.

The allegations came as the Delhi Police registered a first information report against unidentified persons for allegedly threatening the special executive magistrate scheduled to hear the bail proceedings, to release Ranka and Das, The Indian Express reported on Monday.

Ranka and Das, along with another campaign leader, Ajinkya Shinde, were arrested on October 13 by the police for trespassing on Jantar Mantar. They had “sneaked into” the Jantar Mantar to protest the authorities’ decision to denotify the area as a designated protest site.

On Wednesday, Ranka and Das were sent to judicial custody for five days. Shinde was released on a personal bond.

On Sunday, Ratna Singh, the legal affairs head of the campaign, said that the hearing scheduled for 12 pm was delayed for several hours. She said that the magistrate arrived at 6 pm and said that he had received threatening messages.

“There was no...

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