'No Jantar Mantar protest call promise': CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das let out of Tihar jail

NEW DELHI: CJP's Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were released from Tihar Jail on Wednesday after promising not to call for protests at Jantar Mantar. The two were ordered to be released after furnishing personal and surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each and giving the undertaking before Special Executive Magistrate Ritu Raj, an ACP in Delhi Police."I undertake and promise not to commit any breach of peace...

That we reiterate our undertaking... towards peace, law and order, public tranquillity and further we specifically state that we will not make any calls for protest at Jantar Mantar till such a time that it is de-notified," said their undertakings. They were detained after attempting to enter the barricaded Jantar Mantar protest site by climbing its gates on Oct 13 as part of their protest against SIR.

The magistrate held that “further judicial custody does not appear to be necessary at this stage”, despite the investigating officer seeking a further three days of judicial custody, citing a continuing apprehension of a breach of peace. The magistrate held the risk of a breach of peace could be addressed through peace bonds and written assurances.

The duo must appear at every hearing. The sureties will be verified before the next hearing on Oct 23.

Prosecution led by counsel - Bhairav Dass and Prashant Prakash, argued that the duo’s statements to the court and the media were “contradictory”, and alleged that a CJP member’s media remarks while they were being taken to Tihar Jail on the previous hearing date undermined the “majesty of the SEM courts”. Advocates Abhik Chimni and Pranjal Abrol countered this with an unconditional verbal apology to the magistrate and reiterated the activists’ commitment to peace and said any protest would remain within the “four corners of Constitution”.

Das and Ranka were first produced before the special executive magistrate on Oct 14 in preventive proceedings initiated by Parliament Street police over apprehensions that their conduct could disturb public tranquillity. They were sent to five days of judicial custody, extended by two days on Oct 19.

The magistrate had rejected their earlier sureties, citing identification discrepancies and doubts about the sureties’ ability to ensure the activists’ presence. The duo challenged the Oct 19 order before HC, but withdrew the plea after the court advised them to await the outcome of the hearing scheduled before the magistrate.

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Key quotes

• “said their undertakings. They were detained after attempting to enter the barricaded Jantar Mantar protest site by climbing its gates on Oct 13 as part of their protest against SIR. The magistrate held that “further judicial custody does not appear to be necessary at this stage”

• “majesty of the SEM courts”

• “four corners of Constitution”