New Delhi, 21 October (H.S.): Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have withdrawn their petition from the Delhi High Court challenging an order extending their judicial custody by a Special Executive Magistrate. A Bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad permitted them to withdraw the petition, suggesting that they do so for the time being as the Special Magistrate’s Court was reconsidering the sureties submitted by Das and Ranka on Wednesday.

During the hearing, the court told their counsel, Abhik Chimni, that the case involved an alleged violation of a preventive notice, followed by the issuance of another such notice. The individuals concerned then furnished a bond to maintain peace, which was subsequently breached. The court observed that it would examine the legality of the circumstances at a later stage.

The Bench also questioned whether seeking sureties could be considered wholly illegal or contrary to law when a person had violated a peace bond. It suggested that the two leaders approach the appellate court before seeking relief from the High Court.

During the proceedings, the High Court asked Ranka and Das about their ages. After one stated that he was 27 and the other 31, the court remarked that neither of them belonged to Generation Z.

The court observed that the protest had initially been a students’ demonstration, in which children had also participated, but that the nature of the issue had since changed.

“The people are the same, but the purpose of the protest has changed,” the court observed, emphasising the importance of understanding who the individuals are, which organisation they are associated with and what the organisation stands for. It said these questions become relevant when there is an apprehension of a breach of peace.

The court also raised the broader question of whether a magistrate, while assessing the possibility of a breach of peace, should consider the background of groups whose issues and objectives may change over time.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar