On Wednesday (October 21), Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Ratna Singh apologised before a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) Court in Delhi for making derogatory statements, undermining the authority of the Judiciary.
The development came after Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were released. They had furnished sureties and gave undertakings. The two CJP leaders undertook not to commit any further breach of peace and not to give any call for protest at Jantar Mantar, as long as the place remains denotified as a designated protest site.
The Delhi Police had pointed out before the SEM Court that Ratna Singh made several statements before the media questioning the court’s authority and raising suspicions about the court’s neutrality. Responding to the Police’s submission, Ratna Singh’s counsel assured the SEM Court that such conduct will not be repeated by her in the future.
Ratna Singh called the SEM Court ‘compromised’
Notably, Ratna Singh, CJP’s Legal Cell Head, had given several statements to the media while Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were in judicial custody. On October 19, 2026, when the SEM Court extended the custody of the two CJP leaders by two days after rejecting their sureties, Singh called for the abolition of the SEM Court, accusing it of being compromised.
“I think SEM (Special Executive Magistrate) courts should be abolished because the system is compromised. They have rejected the sureties,” Singh said, speaking to the media. “The authorities show no regard for personal liberty or an individual’s past record; they simply seek an excuse, and we have just witnessed the kind of excuse they have offered today. I feel that while this entire system is designed to crush us, it will not succeed. The youth of this country is watching,” she alleged.
VIDEO | Delhi: CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka’s judicial custody extended by two days. CJP legal head Ratna Singh says, "I think SEM (Special Executive Magistrate) courts should be abolished because the system is compromised. They have rejected the sureties. Advocates have pointed out that the verification process for a surety cannot be a valid ground for remanding someone to judicial custody. There is no apprehension, no threat, and there was no call to action from our side, yet they were still sent to two days of judicial custody. The authorities show no regard for personal liberty or an individual’s past record; they simply seek an excuse, and we have just witnessed the kind of excuse they have offered today. I feel that while this entire system is designed to crush us, it will not succeed. The youth of this country is watching. They see how those in power are misusing the law to suppress voices, stifle these young people and prevent them from coming together to raise their concerns. I believe the authorities fail to realise that all of this is only making these individuals stronger and more powerful. They will eventually push back, and the government will be forced to provide an answer." (Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 19, 2026
Ratna Singh term SEM Court proceedings a “mockery”
In another statement, the CJP leader termed the proceedings before the SEM Court a “mockery”. Criticising the extension of judicial custody of Ranka and Das, Singh claimed that the SEM Court gave the extension for a “vague reason”. She described the extension order as “mental torture” and an attempt to “stifle voices”.
“A mockery was going on in the Court. For the last 6 days, we have been saying that one or the other reason is being nitpicked — surety verification has not been done, that an FIR has been lodged against the surety,” Singh said.
#WATCH | Ratna Singh, Head of Legal Affairs, CJP says, "A mockery was going on in the Court. For the last 6 days, we have been saying that one or the other reason is being nitpicked – surety verification has not been done, that FIR has been lodged against the surety. We saw someone’s liberty being curtailed. The 2 pm hearing began at 3-3.30 pm. It went for an hour. Our lawyers discussed on the law points. There was nothing presented from the other side which said that there should be an extension (of judicial custody). There was no reason to keep them in further judicial custody. They have been sent to judicial custody for a very vague reason…We will challenge this. This is mental torture and an attempt to stifle voices…We can see everything, the entire world can see everything. They cannot silence everyone."
— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2026
“There was no reason to keep them in further judicial custody. They have been sent to judicial custody for a very vague reason…We will challenge this. This is mental torture and an attempt to stifle voices…We can see everything; the entire world can see everything. They cannot silence everyone,” she added.
In an earlier statement, Ratna Singh had alleged that the SEM Court was acting in connivance with the government as part of an alleged conspiracy to keep the CJP leaders in detention.
VIDEO | Delhi: Reacting to the judicial custody of CJP co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, CJP legal head Ratna Singh says, "We have been here since morning. We were told that the entire hearing would take place at 12.00 pm. Today, everything was complete, the verification was done, and all requirements were met. We have been waiting here since noon. The SEM (Special Executive Magistrate) was at the police station by 1:30 pm, but he did not enter the courtroom until 5.00 pm. When he finally arrived, he refused to hear our case on its merits regarding whether Saurav and Ashutosh should be released from judicial custody. Instead, he made arbitrary remarks. The public prosecutor, who had not appeared at the police station for the last four days, was present today. Within about five minutes of the proceedings, the SEM told the court that he had received a threatening message. From that point on, the entire discussion revolved solely around that message. It is clear that this entire episode was orchestrated. They had decided beforehand to come into the courtroom and focus exclusively on this alleged threatening message, completely bypassing whether the formalities required for Saurav and Ashutosh’s release were fulfilled. Given how this process has been deliberately delayed and handled, I am utterly disappointed…" (Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 18, 2026
Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das on October 13, 2026, two days after they were released from detention on the undertaking not to engage in any peace-breaching activity. The CJP leaders were arrested after they violated their undertaking and trespassed the Jantar Mantar, after the place was denotified as a designated protest site.
On October 14, 2026, they were sent to five days’ judicial custody, which was prolonged by two days on October 19, 2026, after their sureties were rejected. They were released on October 21, 2026, after Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ritu Raj, who presided over the SEM Court proceedings, ordered their release. The same day, the Delhi Police transferred two registered cases against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to its Crime Branch.
The SEM Court order requires the two respondents to appear before the court on every date of hearing, maintain law and order, refrain from disturbing public tranquillity, and strictly adhere to the conditions of their bonds and undertakings. The matter has been listed for further proceedings on October 23, 2026.
