Relief to murder convict, continued custody for CJP leaders: Dipke

• CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke questioned the contrast between a murder convict’s sentence being stayed and the continued detention of CJP leaders

• CJP demanded the release of Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, alleging misuse of the law and unjustified rejection of their bail sureties

• Ranka and Das, detained over a Jantar Mantar protest, were remanded to two more days of judicial custody and will appear again on Wednesday

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Monday questioned what he described as a contrast in the treatment of individuals seeking political participation and those detained for protest-related activities, drawing attention to the Allahabad High Court's decision to stay the conviction and sentence of a murder convict who wishes to contest elections on a BJP ticket and the continued judicial custody of CJP co-convenors Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das.

Dipke shared screenshots of two news reports on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the high court's order in the case of Nandlal Rai alias Babloo Rai and the extension of judicial custody for Ranka and Das by two days.

The development has sparked renewed criticism from the CJP, which has demanded the immediate release of its two leaders and called for accountability from the authorities handling their case.

According to the report shared by Dipke, the Allahabad High Court stayed the conviction and life sentence of Nandlal Rai, who was convicted last year in connection with a 2017 murder case.

Rai reportedly expressed his intention to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, either as an independent candidate or, if possible, on a BJP ticket. His appeal against the conviction remains pending before the court.

While considering the matter, the high court observed that the right to livelihood of an ordinary person was no less important than a politician's right to contest elections. The court said the conviction and sentence deserved to be stayed to enable Rai to sustain himself until the final decision on his appeal.

Dipke highlighted the order alongside the continued detention of Ranka and Das, raising questions about the treatment of people involved in political and public activities.

The two cases, however, concern different legal proceedings and circumstances, with Rai's matter involving an appeal against a criminal conviction and the CJP leaders' custody arising from proceedings related to their alleged protest activities.

In a separate post on X, Dipke defended Ranka and Das, describing them as individuals who had given up successful careers and financial security in the hope of bringing about social and political change.

He said Ranka had previously held a high-paying corporate job in London, while Das had been writing about India's legal system and enjoying a successful professional life.

"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," Dipke said.

He added that the two had chosen to leave behind their comfortable lives to work towards making the country a better place, despite the uncertainty and risks associated with their decision.

Dipke said he particularly admired their willingness to stand up for people from less privileged backgrounds, arguing that they could have continued with their careers without involving themselves in struggles affecting people they did not know.

"They could have easily looked the other way, enjoyed their lives and never bothered about the struggles of people they had never even met. Nobody asked them to make these sacrifices. Nobody expected them to. But they did, because they genuinely care about people beyond themselves," he said.

Describing their actions as an example of public service and personal commitment, Dipke said standing up for others and fighting battles that were not one's own were among the most important qualities a person could possess.

"That's the kind of people Ashu and Saurav are," he said.

The CJP issued a statement demanding the immediate release of its two co-convenors and calling for institutional accountability over the extension of their judicial custody.

The party said it would challenge the order before higher judicial forums, arguing that the proceedings raised serious concerns about personal liberty and the application of the law.

CJP legal head Ratna Singh strongly criticised the decision, describing the extension of custody as "absurd" in a post on X.

Speaking to reporters later, Singh called the proceedings before the special executive magistrate (SEM) "no less than a circus" and questioned the rejection of the sureties submitted on behalf of Ranka and Das.

"The SEM court should be abolished because it is compromised," she said, alleging that the law was being misused to keep the two leaders in custody.

Singh maintained that the defence lawyers had presented legal arguments and that no specific apprehension of a protest or breach of peace had been established during the proceedings.

"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 questioned the conduct of the magistrate during the hearing, alleging that the official was using a phone inside the courtroom. Singh called for an inquiry into the functioning of the authorities and said the proceedings raised concerns about the protection of individual liberty.

"I just feel that this entire system is there to crush us, but I don't think it will succeed," she said.

Singh further alleged that the authorities were using the law to suppress dissent and warned that young people across the country were observing how the matter was being handled.

"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 said, adding that the government would eventually have to answer for its actions.

The CJP also questioned the reasons given for rejecting the fresh sureties submitted for Ranka and Das.

According to the party, the sureties were rejected on grounds that included alleged discrepancies between photographs and concerns that the sureties did not have sufficient control over the two detainees.

Singh argued that the SEM's order did not adequately explain the specific apprehension warranting continued custody. She alleged that the decision relied primarily on the state's stated concerns without providing a detailed justification.

The party has maintained that the rejection of the sureties and the extension of custody were unjustified. These claims represent the CJP's position, and an independent judicial determination of its allegations has not been established in the information available.

The controversy has intensified following the party's allegations that the bail proceedings were deliberately delayed to prevent the release of its leaders.

Ranka and Das were initially remanded to judicial custody for five days on 13 October after they allegedly climbed over a locked gate to enter Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

The incident occurred days after the protest site was de-notified as a designated location for demonstrations.

According to the account provided, the two CJP leaders joined other party activists in displaying the national flag and raising slogans against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar before they were detained.

Their subsequent custody proceedings have become a major point of contention between the party and the authorities.

The CJP has argued that the detention and rejection of bail sureties lack sufficient legal justification, while the authorities have proceeded with custody-related hearings before the special executive magistrate.

On Sunday, the magistrate handling the bail matter reportedly stated that unidentified persons had threatened him. Police subsequently registered a non-cognisable report in connection with the alleged threats.

The circumstances surrounding the reported threats have added another dimension to the dispute over the proceedings.

Ranka and Das were produced on Monday before a newly appointed special executive magistrate at the Mandir Marg police station, where their judicial custody was extended by another two days, an official said.

The two are scheduled to be produced before the special executive magistrate again on Wednesday, sources said.

The CJP has vowed to pursue legal remedies against the latest order while continuing to demand the release of its leaders.

Dipke's remarks have brought the matter into wider public discussion by contrasting the two legal developments and emphasising what he views as the sacrifices made by Ranka and Das.

As the legal proceedings continue, the central issues remain the justification for the CJP leaders' continued custody, the grounds for rejecting their sureties and the questions of personal liberty and due process raised by the party. The outcome of the next hearing and any challenge before a higher judicial forum could determine the next stage of the case.

With PTI inputs