Cockroach Janta Party leaders Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das granted bail, released from Tihar

Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), were granted bail by a court on Wednesday. Both were released from Tihar jail late that night. The Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court gave its decision after the Delhi High Court's direction.

The case relates to Jantar Mantar, where protests had been banned. Ranka and Das, along with some other CJP leaders, were arrested nonetheless. The SEM court then sent them to five days in judicial custody.

After five days they were produced in court again, but were not granted bail. An appeal against that decision was filed in the Delhi High Court, which asked them to go back to the SEM court for bail.

On Wednesday, the SEM court at Mandir Marg heard the bail applications of Das and Ranka. During the hearing, Delhi Police sought an extension of their judicial custody, asking for three more days. After the hearing, the court pronounced its decision and granted both bail. Following the order, both were taken to Tihar jail, and they have now been released.

The court observed that, in the present circumstances, taking a bail bond and a written undertaking from Das and Ranka would be enough to maintain peace, and there was no need to keep them in jail. According to the information available, both gave the court a written undertaking, as a condition of release, that they would not disturb the peace again and would maintain law and order. They will not call for any protest at Jantar Mantar until permission is granted under the law.

Das and Ranka also gave an assurance that any future protests would be held within the bounds of the Constitution. The court asked each to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and an undertaking for the same amount. After this formality was completed, the court ordered their release.

The superintendent of Tihar jail has been directed to issue the release warrant. The court has told both Das and Ranka to appear at the next hearing and to abide by the conditions of maintaining peace and law and order. The next hearing in the case will be at 3 pm on October 23, 2026.

Earlier, Das and Ranka had withdrawn their petitions in the Delhi High Court against the judicial custody extended by the magistrate's court. During the hearing, the High Court had said that a revision petition was available to challenge the magistrate's order and that this route should have been taken first.