Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
A Delhi special court has remanded Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) activists Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das to five days of judicial custody at Tihar Jail. Meanwhile, Ajinkya Shinde was released on a personal bond.
The three were detained on Tuesday morning during a protest at Jantar Mantar and were formally arrested at around 3 am. They were produced before the special court on Wednesday morning.
Reacting to the arrests, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that hoisting the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar was not a crime. He described sending young people to jail as an act of cowardice.
According to Ratna Singh, head of CJP's legal team, the three face allegations of entering Jantar Mantar without permission, violating bond conditions and obstructing government work.
Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das had also been detained on a flight on October 10.
How the Controversy Began
The case dates back to a protest held on October 10, when CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained. All three were released the following day, reportedly after furnishing bonds of Rs 50,000 each.
One of the conditions of their release was that they would refrain from activities that could disturb public peace for one year.
On October 12, Jantar Mantar was removed from the list of designated protest venues. The following day, Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and CJP worker Ajinkya Shinde allegedly crossed barricades and entered the restricted area at Jantar Mantar, where they hoisted the national flag.
Police detained all three following the incident. Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were also accused of violating the conditions of their earlier bonds.
Following their appearance before the special court on Wednesday, Ranka and Das were sent to five days of judicial custody, while Shinde was released on a personal bond.
