Security personnel outside the headquarters of the Central Bureau of Investigation. , Photo credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
Delhi Police invoked Section 144 of the CrPC and deployed four layers of barricades near the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters, where Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia appeared for questioning on Sunday and was later arrested.
Security was beefed up at JLN Stadium Road from 8 pm on Saturday in view of apprehensions of protest by AAP workers, a senior official said. Another official said, “Personnel was mobilized from all districts, not just the south. Rapid Action Force was also called in to prevent any untoward incident.”
Earlier in the day, 50 protesters were detained from the area. An official said that after being stopped from crossing the barricades, the protesters sat on the road around 12.30 pm and blocked the traffic.
“They were requested to vacate the area, but they continued to protest and raise slogans,” he added.
Some of the prisoners, including eight women, were later released, he said.
However, 36 others, including Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, Delhi minister Gopal Rai and three AAP MLAs, are still in custody.
AAP’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged that the detained protesters have now been arrested.
“They [the police] There is a fear that there will be protests,” he said.
Refuting the claims, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Chandan Chowdhary said no arrests had been made.
Following Mr Rai’s detention, a post on his Twitter handle alleged that police personnel forced his assistant out of his car, entered the vehicle and took the minister away. This is the height of hooliganism, but we will not be afraid and will not bow down.
CBI officials said Mr Sisodia would be produced before a court on Monday afternoon.