NEW DELHI — Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, October 19, demanded the immediate release of Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, calling the extension of their judicial custody in the Jantar Mantar trespassing case “state-sponsored terrorism.”
In a post on X, Banerjee accused the authorities of targeting young people and using the custody of the two leaders to attack democracy. She said atrocities across the country, from Kolkata to Delhi to Mumbai, had reached unprecedented levels, blamed the police for them, and warned that those in power now would not hold on to power forever. Calling on everyone who believes in democracy to back the demand for their release.
Her remarks came after a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) extended the judicial custody of Ranka and Das by two days. The two were produced before the magistrate at Mandir Marg police station after their five-day judicial custody ended Monday, October 20. Delhi Police had sought the extension.
CJP’s legal affairs head, Ratna Singh, questioned the need for further detention. In a post on X, she said the public prosecutor had offered no legal arguments and relied on assumptions, calling the proceedings a “waste of time.” At the time of her post, she said, the party was still waiting at the court for the magistrate’s order. She demanded the release of both leaders.
Ranka and Das were sent to five-day judicial custody on October 14 after being detained for allegedly trespassing at Jantar Mantar, which has been de-notified as the designated protest site.