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CJP leaders skip police probe summons, likely to get fresh notice
Police plan to issue fresh notices. Ranka and Das were released after agreeing to conditions, including no protests at the site until it is re-notified.
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Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convenors Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das did not appear after being summoned to join the police probe in two cases against them and will be issued another notice in the matter, said officials aware of the matter.
A senior police officer said that the Delhi Police crime branch had issued a notice to Das, Ranka, and CJP member Ajinkya Shinde to join the probe on Thursday. “Earlier, they asked for a time extension and later, they didn’t come,” said one officer.
“Another notice to join the probe will be sent to all three of them,” the officer added without giving details on when that might happen.
CJP did not respond to HT’s requests for comment.
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Jantar Mantar Protest and FIRs
On October 13, Ranka, Das, and Shinde, along with 10 other CJP members, scaled an iron gate and entered the de-notified Jantar Mantar protest site. They were detained within minutes. While the others were released within 24 hours, Das and Ranka were arrested in connection with a bond they had signed on October 11, which required them to maintain peace for a year, police said.
HT had reported that one FIR had been registered at Connaught Place police station because Janpath Lane, from where they entered, is under the jurisdiction of the station. The second FIR has been registered at Parliament Street police station because that’s where the breach and alleged assault on police officials trying to stop them took place.
Also Read | 'Barricades have a purpose': Delhi HC pulls up Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, cites arson outside India
Custody and Release Undertakings
On October 14, SEM sent the duo to five days of judicial custody after the Delhi Police argued that “there was a presumption that the accused might carry out a crime” if released. Their custody was extended for another two days on Monday and the SEM ordered their release on Wednesday after they signed an undertaking not to call any protests at Jantar Mantar until the site is re-notified as a designated protest site.
In it, they also promised “not to commit any breach of peace” and expressed “full faith” in the judiciary and the SEM court. The undertakings further reiterated that any protest undertaken by them would be done “within the four corners of the constitution”.
The magistrate directed the two leaders to strictly comply with their undertakings and bonds and appear at every hearing. They have also been asked to appear with their sureties on October 23, when the police must submit a verification report on the sureties furnished by them.
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