CJP Leaders Released After Custody Dispute

CJP leader Saurav Das declared that “truth has triumphed” on Wednesday after a Special Executive Magistrate ordered the release of him and fellow activist Ashutosh Ranka. Their release followed a dispute over the extension of their custody, which had drawn attention to protests against alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.

The two leaders had spent five days in custody before their detention was extended by another two days on October 19. The latest order brought their detention to an end after the magistrate accepted the sureties they furnished, according to Bar and Bench.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Ritu Raj, acting as the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM), issued the release order. The development came after the leaders challenged the extension of their custody before the Delhi High Court.

Delhi High Court Hears Challenge to Custody Extension

The Delhi High Court heard the petition on Wednesday, with the leaders seeking to challenge the SEM court's decision to extend their custody until October 21.

However, the petitioners withdrew their plea after the High Court declined to entertain it. The proceedings also drew attention because of an exchange between Justice Subramonium Prasad and the lawyers representing the two activists.

During the hearing, the judge asked advocate Abhik Chimni about the ages of the petitioners. Chimni told the court that Das was 27 and Ranka was 32.

The judge then remarked that the two men did not qualify as members of Generation Z, referring to information presented to the court that the generation includes people born after 1997.

The comments prompted a response from CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke. He posted a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X with the caption, “The only person who qualifies as a Gen Z.”

The exchange added another dimension to a case already linked to questions about the handling of protests and the authorities' response to demonstrations in the national capital.

Why Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka Were Detained

The case stems from protests organised by CJP seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The controversy escalated on October 11, when Delhi Police withdrew Jantar Mantar's status as an authorised protest site. The decision has been challenged separately before the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court.

Two days later, on October 13, Das and Ranka visited Jantar Mantar carrying the national flag. They were detained the following day.

A Special Executive Magistrate subsequently ordered five days of judicial custody, citing concerns about a possible breach of peace.

On October 19, the magistrate rejected the sureties submitted by the two leaders. The reasons cited included doubts about the sureties' ability to ensure compliance with the required conditions and discrepancies in identity documents.

The rejection led to a further two-day extension of their custody, prompting the legal challenge that followed.

The eventual acceptance of their sureties cleared the way for their release.

Electoral Commission Dispute Adds to Political Pressure

The protests have unfolded amid wider scrutiny of the Election Commission's internal decision-making and its handling of electoral processes.

An Indian Express report stated that election commissioners had raised objections to decisions taken by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on 14 occasions over a period of 10 months.

The Election Commission, however, maintained that all its decisions had been unanimous.

The reported disagreements and the protests over the SIR process have placed the commission's decisions under public scrutiny. The allegations raised by protesters remain distinct from the commission's position, and the reported objections do not, by themselves, establish that electoral irregularities occurred.

Release Ends Custody, but Questions Remain

The release of Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka ends their immediate custody following days of legal proceedings. It does not resolve the wider dispute over the restrictions on protests at Jantar Mantar or the allegations surrounding the revision of electoral rolls.

The challenges to the withdrawal of Jantar Mantar's authorised protest status remain separate legal matters. The broader controversy over the Election Commission's decisions also continues to attract attention.

For now, the two CJP leaders are free after the magistrate accepted their sureties. The underlying questions about protest rights, electoral roll revision and the commission's decision-making remain subjects of public and legal scrutiny.