CJP founder questions co-convenors’ detention, contrasts it with court relief to murder convict

New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Monday questioned the continued detention of the outfit’s co-convenors, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, drawing a comparison with the Allahabad High Court’s decision to stay the conviction and life sentence of a murder convict who wishes to contest elections.

The remarks came after Ranka and Das were remanded in judicial custody for another two days by a Special Executive Magistrate on Monday.

Dipke shared screenshots of two news reports on X, one about the Allahabad High Court staying the conviction of Nandlal Rai alias Babloo Rai, who wishes to contest the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections next year, and the other about the extension of the CJP leaders’ custody.

According to the report, the Allahabad High Court stayed Rai’s conviction and life sentence in a 2017 murder case. Rai, who was convicted last year, had expressed his desire to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections as an independent candidate or, if possible, on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket. His appeal against the conviction is pending.

The court observed that the right to livelihood of an ordinary citizen was no less important than a politician’s right to contest elections. It said the conviction and sentence deserved to be stayed to enable Rai to sustain himself until a final decision was taken on his appeal.

‘They gave up comfortable lives to make the country better’

In a separate post, Dipke spoke about the personal and professional sacrifices made by Ranka and Das, saying both had given up successful careers and financial security to work towards improving the country.

“A few years ago, Ashu had a high-paying corporate job in London, earning millions. Saurav was writing about the country’s legal system and living a great life. Both had successful careers, financial security and every reason to continue living the lives they had built for themselves,” he said.

“But they chose to give it all up in the hope of making this country a better place. They had absolutely no reason to leave behind their comfortable lives, take to the streets, face uncertainty and eventually end up in jail. Yet they did,” he added.

Dipke said what he admired most about the two leaders was their decision to stand up for people less privileged than themselves, despite having the option of continuing with their comfortable lives.

He described the willingness to fight for people one does not know, take up causes that are not one’s own and risk personal security to improve others’ lives as among the greatest human qualities.

“That’s the kind of people Ashu and Saurav are,” he said.

CJP legal head questions proceedings

CJP’s legal head Ratna Singh also criticised the proceedings that resulted in the extension of the two leaders’ custody.

“I haven’t seen anything this absurd in my entire life,” she said in a post on X.

Speaking to reporters later, Singh described the proceedings before the Special Executive Magistrate’s court as “no less than a circus” and called for the abolition of such courts, alleging that the law was being misused to keep Ranka and Das in custody.

“The SEM court should be abolished because it is compromised...,” she said, questioning the rejection of the sureties submitted on behalf of the two leaders.

Singh said the defence had presented legal arguments and that no apprehension of a protest or breach of peace had been established.

“There has been no call (for a protest) from our end. And still, they were sent to two days’ judicial custody. They (authorities) do not want to do anything about their liberty,” she said.

She also alleged that the magistrate was using a phone during the courtroom proceedings and called for an inquiry into the functioning of the authorities, saying the episode raised serious concerns about individual liberty.

“I just feel that this entire system is there to crush us, but I don’t think it will succeed,” Singh said.

“The youngsters of this country are watching. They are seeing how power is being used. They (authorities) are misusing the law to curb voices...,” she added, saying the government would eventually have to answer for its actions.

CJP leaders’ custody extended by two days

Ranka and Das were produced before a newly appointed Special Executive Magistrate at the Mandir Marg police station on Monday and remanded in judicial custody for another two days, an official said.

The two were initially sent to five days of judicial custody on October 13 after they allegedly climbed over a locked gate to enter Jantar Mantar, which had been de-notified as a designated protest site.

Along with other CJP activists, they displayed the national flag and raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar before being detained and placed under preventive arrest.

The CJP has alleged that the bail proceedings were deliberately delayed to prevent the release of its co-convenors. The party has also questioned the rejection of their bail sureties, which it described as being based on vague grounds.

On Sunday, the Special Executive Magistrate handling their bail matter alleged that unidentified persons had threatened him. Police subsequently registered a non-cognisable report in connection with the complaint.

Ranka and Das are scheduled to be produced before the Special Executive Magistrate again on Wednesday, sources said.

ANI