Delhi's Special Executive Magistrate ordered the release of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka on Sunday after seven days in judicial custody for waving national flags at Jantar Mantar.
The two spokespersons had been detained on Oct 14 after breaching a peace bond they signed following an arrest on Oct 10. Their entry into the locked gates on Oct 13 was part of a protest against the government's denotification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site.
Abhijeet Dipke, the party’s founder, filed a petition against the extension of custody, arguing that the delay was intentional. The High Court had heard the petition on Wednesday, noting the breach of bond and citing examples of violent protests abroad.
Police had requested an additional three days of custody, but the magistrate accepted the parties’ sureties and released them after 6 p.m. The decision came after the magistrate reserved an order earlier in the day.
Das and Ranka are expected to return to the CJP headquarters in Delhi and resume their campaign against the election commission. The Delhi High Court will next consider whether to uphold the release or reinstate custody pending further hearings.