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‘Then you are not Gen Z’: Delhi HC questions CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka

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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday questioned whether Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka could technically be described as Gen Z, after being informed that they were 27 and 32 years old, respectively, while hearing their plea challenging the extension of their judicial custody in the Jantar Mantar trespassing case.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad made the oral observations while hearing submissions by advocate Abhik Chimni, appearing for the two activists, who sought their release on personal bonds after the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) rejected their sureties and extended their custody.

When Chimni informed the High Court about the ages of the two petitioners, Justice Prasad remarked, “Then you are not Gen Z. What is Gen Z?” After being told that people born after 1997 are generally considered Gen Z, the High Court reiterated that the petitioners did not fall within that category.

The Delhi High Court also questioned how the nature of protests and the causes associated with them had evolved, observing that although students and young people had participated in earlier protests, the cause being pursued had since changed.

“Earlier, it was a student protest; children were there, but now it’s another cause. These people remain the same, but the cause is changed,” Justice Prasad orally remarked.

The judge then questioned the association of those organising such demonstrations and the purpose behind it, observing that these aspects could assume significance when authorities examined the possibility of a breach of peace and public tranquillity.

“When there is apprehension of breach of peace and tranquillity, all these questions will assume importance. What is your association? What is the purpose of the association?” the High Court remarked.

It added that such questions assumed significance when authorities were required to assess the likelihood of a breach of the peace and disturbance of public tranquillity.

Justice Prasad observed that these issues could be examined in appropriate proceedings, but the immediate question before it concerned the insistence on furnishing bonds.

During the hearing, Chimni challenged the rejection of the sureties furnished by the petitioners and argued that the decision was legally unsustainable. He sought their release on the basis of personal bonds, contending that preventive custody could not be imposed arbitrarily.

However, the High Court questioned whether the rejection of sureties could be termed illegal and whether the SEM court’s order was amenable to a statutory revision. It also questioned the petitioners’ decision to invoke the High Court’s writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution when an alternative remedy of filing a revision petition was available.

Observing that there was a distinction between the maintainability of a petition and whether it ought to be entertained at that stage, Justice Prasad indicated that the petitioners should first await the outcome of the proceedings before the SEM court.

The judge also referred to the breach of bonds furnished by the activists earlier and their subsequent presence at Jantar Mantar, which had been denotified as a designated venue for demonstrations.

The Delhi High Court said that the challenge to the denotification was pending before the Supreme Court and that the notification had not been stayed.

Questioning the need to pursue High Court proceedings before the SEM court took up the matter later in the day, Justice Prasad suggested that the petitioners withdraw the plea and consider their legal options after the proceedings at 2 p.m. “Would it not be better for you to withdraw this, see what happens at 2 PM and then follow the course of law. It is for you to make a decision,” the judge said.

After the matter was passed over to enable the counsel to take instructions, Chimni informed the High Court that the petitioners wished to withdraw the plea. The Delhi High Court permitted the withdrawal and disposed of the petition without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, leaving all contentions open.

The development came on the day the judicial custody of the two activists was due to end, with both scheduled to be produced before the SEM court. On Monday, SEM Ritu Raj had extended their custody, observing that their conduct “shows no respect for law” and reflected their “habitualness in calling protest at de-notified areas”.

The SEM court had recorded that the investigating officer placed material on record indicating a likelihood of a breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquillity. It also recorded that the two activists had allegedly breached bonds furnished before the SEM, South-West District, on October 11, and subsequently committed a breach of peace in the present case.

Das and Ranka, along with CJP member Ajinkya Shinde, were among 14 people detained on October 13 after they allegedly entered Jantar Mantar through private premises and obstructed police personnel from discharging their official duties.

The CJP members were protesting against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and had raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Crime

CISF seizes foreign currency worth Rs 1.13 crore at Kolkata airport

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Alert personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) detected foreign currency worth approximately Rs 1.14 crore concealed in the hand baggage of two passengers bound for Bangkok at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata.

The detection took place around 10:20 a.m. on October 19 during routine security screening at the International Terminal Security Hold Area. A CISF screener noticed suspicious images in the X-ray scans of the hand baggage carried by the two passengers scheduled to travel to Bangkok on Bhutan Airlines flight B3700. The bags were subsequently referred for physical examination.

During the inspection, CISF personnel recovered USD 1,19,900, equivalent to approximately Rs 1,13,64,002, concealed inside false bottoms of the two bags. The foreign currency had been wrapped in newspaper in an apparent attempt to conceal it from security personnel.

Of the total amount recovered, USD 74,900 was found in the hand baggage of one passenger, while USD 45,000 was recovered from the other passenger’s bag.

Following the prescribed formalities, both passengers, along with the seized currency, were handed over to the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs for further investigation and necessary legal action.

On October 20, the passenger from whose baggage USD 74,900 was recovered was taken by AIU/Customs officials to the District and Sessions Court for further legal proceedings following the investigation and seizure. The second passenger was released by Customs after the issuance of a detention receipt for the USD 45,000 recovered from the passenger’s baggage.

CISF in a release reiterated its commitment to maintaining aviation security through effective screening procedures, alert surveillance and professional conduct by its personnel. According to officials, the detection stresses the importance of coordinated action between airport security personnel and Customs authorities in addressing suspected financial and currency-related violations.

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Crime

Gujarat: Man held after 0.77 grams of mephedrone found in ‘porter’ delivery parcel

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A 27-year-old businessman was arrested by Naroda police after 0.77 grams of suspected mephedrone, valued at Rs 1,540, was found in a parcel being delivered through the Porter application near Nana Chiloda Circle in Ahmedabad, police said on Wednesday.

The case came to light after police received a control-room message about a suspicious parcel that had arrived for delivery through the application.

The substance was examined preliminarily by a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officer in the presence of panch witnesses and was found to be mephedrone, a synthetic drug.

Police seized the substance and initially registered an offence against three unidentified mobile phone holders under Sections 8(c), 22(a) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

During the investigation, they traced and arrested the man suspected of ordering the consignment through the parcel.

The accused was identified as Priyang Sanghvi (27). He is a businessman who lives in Aram Park Flats in the Sabarmati area of the city. He is originally from Shirodi village in Rajasthan’s Sirohi district.

According to the police, the suspected method involved using a mobile phone number belonging to a witness to log in to the Porter application.

Drug consignments were allegedly packed separately in zipper bags and sent through the delivery service. An intermediary was allegedly used to distribute the drugs to different customers for sale.

The police said the arrest followed instructions from senior officers to curb the illegal sale and transportation of narcotic substances and detect offences related to them.

“The operation was conducted by Naroda police personnel under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector B M Katariya,” officials said.

The police seized 0.77 grams of mephedrone, valued at Rs 1,540. The investigation concerns the alleged use of a parcel delivery application to transport the substance and its subsequent distribution through an intermediary.

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Crime

Bihar: 75-year-old man stabbed to death; woman and her son injured

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A 75-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death, while a woman and her 25-year-old son were injured in a violent clash between neighbours at Rohda Kala village under Barharia police station limits in Bihar’s Siwan district on Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Rama Nandan Prasad, son of the late Garib Bhagat.

The injured were identified as Baby Devi, 44, and her son Kishan Kumar, 25.

The injured were taken to the Barharia Community Health Centre for treatment. While Kishan received primary medical care, Baby Devi was referred to Siwan Sadar Hospital due to her critical condition.

According to Kishan Kumar, his grandfather was sitting outside the house drinking tea while his mother was cooking, and he was asleep.

Hearing a commotion, he went outside and found his grandfather lying in a pool of blood.

He then heard his mother crying from inside the house and rushed in, where he allegedly saw neighbours attacking her with knives. When he tried to intervene, he was also injured in the attack.

Kishan claimed that he had no prior dispute with the neighbours and said the reason for the attack was unclear.

With the help of residents, two alleged assailants were apprehended and handed over to the police.

After receiving information, the Barharia police reached the village and launched an investigation.

A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team was also called to collect evidence from the scene.

The police have set up a camp in the village amid tension following the incident.

Barharia Station House Officer Chhotan Kumar said a patrolling officer was initially sent to the spot, after which he reached the village to investigate the incident.

He said an FIR has been registered against the named accused based on Kishan Kumar’s statement.

The two detained suspects are being questioned, while the motive behind the incident remains unclear.

Police said further action would be taken based on the investigation.

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