Special Executive Magistrate Ritu Raj issued the direction after Das and fellow CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka appeared before the court along with their sureties. The magistrate observed that the documents submitted by Das did not include a rental agreement or lease establishing his residence in Delhi.
Das’s lawyers requested additional time to obtain the necessary documents. The magistrate accepted their request and scheduled the next hearing for November 17, when the residential evidence will be examined.
Delhi Police counsel Prashant Prakash and Bhairav Dass questioned the adequacy of the documents furnished by Das, arguing that he had failed to establish that he was currently residing in the capital.
The disagreement over residential verification emerged during proceedings to examine compliance with conditions imposed when Das and Ranka were released from judicial custody earlier this week. Both leaders remain subject to preventive proceedings initiated by Parliament Street police over apprehensions of a breach of public peace.
The magistrate’s direction concerned verification of Das’s address rather than a fresh determination of the allegations underlying the proceedings. No finding that he had violated the conditions of his release was announced during Friday’s hearing.
The two CJP leaders appeared before the magistrate following their release on October 21 after spending approximately a week in judicial custody. Their release was conditional upon furnishing personal bonds and surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each and submitting written undertakings concerning their future conduct.
The magistrate had accepted those undertakings after considering arguments from Delhi Police that the leaders continued to pose a risk to public order. Police had sought an additional three days of judicial custody, citing their previous conduct and public statements.
The court nevertheless concluded that further detention was unnecessary at that stage because the preventive objectives could be achieved through financial bonds and enforceable commitments to maintain peace.
Under the release conditions, Das and Ranka agreed not to organise or call for demonstrations at Jantar Mantar until the location was officially restored as a designated protest site. They also undertook to ensure that any future demonstrations remained within constitutional and legal limits.
The magistrate had directed the investigating officer to verify the sureties and submit a report at the subsequent hearing. Both leaders and their sureties were required to attend Friday’s proceedings as part of that verification process.
The preventive action followed an incident at Jantar Mantar during demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Police alleged that Das and Ranka entered a restricted protest area after crossing security barriers.
Authorities initiated proceedings under Sections 126 and 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, invoking provisions concerning apprehended breaches of peace and preventive police action.
The allegations remain contested, with the CJP maintaining that its demonstrations concern electoral accountability and the right to peaceful political expression.
The leaders had earlier challenged the extension of their custody before the Delhi High Court but withdrew their petition after the court raised questions about their conduct and the available legal remedies.
Friday’s proceedings were confined principally to compliance with the magistrate’s directions and verification of the documents and sureties furnished following their release.
Speaking after the hearing, Ranka said the verification process involving their sureties had proceeded satisfactorily. He confirmed that another hearing would take place during the third week of November.
Ranka also maintained that the CJP would continue its political activities despite the legal proceedings. He said the organisation’s campaign would carry on whether its representatives remained outside custody or faced further detention.
Separately, Delhi Police’s Crime Branch had summoned Das and Ranka for questioning in connection with cases arising from the Jantar Mantar demonstrations. The leaders sought additional time to appear before investigators.
The Crime Branch inquiry is separate from the preventive proceedings before the special executive magistrate, although both arise from events surrounding the demonstrations in the capital.
The magistrate’s October 21 order requires Das and Ranka to attend every scheduled hearing and observe their undertakings until the preventive inquiry concludes.
Advocates Abhik Chimni and Pranjal Abrol represented the two CJP leaders during the proceedings concerning their release from judicial custody.
