Jantar Mantar protest case: CJP’s Saurav Das, Ranka questioned by Delhi Police

Activists of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, arrived at the Crime Branch office in Rajouri Garden on Thursday. They had been summoned to join the probe into the Jantar Mantar trespassing case.

The two had earlier failed to turn up for questioning. Das, Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde were asked to report to the Delhi Police Crime Branch at 12 noon on October 22, but none of them went.

Explaining the absence, Ranka said they were unable to go that day and had told the Crime Branch so. He added that the CJP activists were waiting for fresh summons dates.

 "We are waiting to hear from them. We have not received a specific date yet. We could not make it on the previous date, and we had informed them about that.

They said they would confirm the timings, so we are waiting for the Crime Branch to get back to us," added Ranka.

 The Crime Branch had summoned the three leaders to its Rajouri Garden office for questioning.

Das and Ranka were detained in connection with an October 13 protest at Jantar Mantar, which had been denotified as a designated protest site. The police had alleged that they entered the area through private premises and violated conditions relating to maintaining peace.

 The two CJP activists were released on the order of the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court from judicial custody on October 21 after accepting their personal and surety bonds and taking written undertakings from them to maintain peace and abide by the law.

 SEM Ritu Raj directed the two leaders to furnish personal and surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each until the conclusion of the enquiry. The court also directed them to appear on every hearing date and comply with the conditions specified in their bonds and undertakings.

 In their written undertakings, Das and Ranka promised not to breach peace or disturb public tranquillity. They also undertook not to call for protests at Jantar Mantar until the site is denotified in accordance with the law, and said any future protests would be conducted within the constitutional framework.