Delhi Police have registered a first information report (FIR) after receiving a complaint alleging that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other MPs, entered the Akashvani Bhavan premises without permission during Tuesday’s Opposition protest against chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The complaint alleged that the leaders entered the office premises without permission after police stopped the Opposition march towards the Election Commission of India (ECI), an officer aware of the matter said.
“FIR has been registered under relevant sections. A further probe is underway” a senior police officer said.
Deep Dive
What led to the FIR against Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at Akashvani Bhawan?
Why did the Opposition protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar?
How did the police respond to the Opposition's march towards the Election Commission?
The development came a day after at least 300 Opposition lawmakers marched from Parliament towards Nirvachan Sadan, demanding Kumar’s resignation. Police stopped the march outside the ECI headquarters and detained more than 250 protesters.
Following the standoff, Gandhi, Vadra and around 20 other Opposition leaders moved into the Akashvani Bhavan campus, located next to Nirvachan Sadan, and continued their protest there until around 8pm.
The leaders were subsequently detained amid high drama, with a large contingent of police personnel taking Gandhi away and putting him inside a bus. The Congress alleged that Gandhi, party general secretary KC Venugopal and others were manhandled and dragged into buses.
{{/usCountry}}The leaders were subsequently detained amid high drama, with a large contingent of police personnel taking Gandhi away and putting him inside a bus. The Congress alleged that Gandhi, party general secretary KC Venugopal and others were manhandled and dragged into buses.
{{/usCountry}}The detained leaders were taken to Kingsway Camp and released around 10:15pm.
The FIR was registered after the complaint regarding the alleged entry into the Akashvani Bhavan premises. Further details, including the sections invoked in the case and the complete list of people named in the complaint, were not immediately available.
A police officer aware of the matter also said some Congress workers later reached the New Police Lines area and allegedly attempted to scale the walls of the premises.
Tuesday’s protest was part of the Opposition’s campaign seeking Kumar’s resignation over allegations of electoral manipulation.
The BJP rejected the allegations and criticised the protest.