Delhi HC Urges CJP Leaders to Use Lower-Court Remedy; Custody Challenge Withdrawn
What Happened
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka withdrew their petition before the Delhi High Court challenging a Special Executive Magistrate’s order extending their judicial custody until October 21, 2026. The Bench led by Justice Subramonium Prasad indicated that they should first await the magistrate’s reconsideration of their sureties and use available appellate or revisional remedies if needed. The court did not rule on the merits of their claims. The activists had challenged an October 19 custody-extension order linked to their detention following a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Key Takeaways
The development is primarily a procedural legal setback rather than a final ruling on the detention itself. The High Court signalled that established statutory remedies should be exhausted before constitutional relief is sought, leaving the underlying custody dispute unresolved.