New Delh: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Monday grilled by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in two rounds in connection with a money laundering case related to the National Herald case.
According to the sources, ED was not satisfied with Rahul Gandhi’s answers due to which he has been asked to rejoin the investigation tomorrow (Tuesday). He was questioned for around 10 hours by the agency.
Meanwhile, the Congress workers and leaders held protests in the National Capital. Roads leading to the Congress office in New Delhi were blocked by putting barricades since the morning to stop the protesters, and several workers and leaders to assemble. Many of them were detained at their homes in the city.
Delhi Police said that they had received a request yesterday from Secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) for grant of permission to hold a ‘Satyagraha’ of about 1000 party workers at the AICC Headquarters, 24 Akbar Road, Delhi, said Sagar Preet Hooda, Special Commissioner of Police, L & O Division, Zone-II, Delhi.
The AICC programme was proposed to show solidarity to the former AICC president Rahul Gandhi who was to appear before the ED on June 13, at 11 am. The district police did not grant permission for the programme in view of the prevailing circumstances and in compliance of the Supreme Court’s order and the same was duly communicated to the AICC on the same day, Hooda added.
However, entry of 100 senior leaders and staff of the AICC was allowed in the AICC HQ through Akbar Road and Maulana Azad Road roundabout whose list was to be provided in advance.
The promulgation under section 144 CrPC was already in force since May 24 in the area, thereby prohibiting holding of any public meeting, processions, demonstration, etc.
The Secretary, AICC, in the letter addressed to police, had categorically assured that the gathering would not accompany the VIP to the ED office but as soon as Rahul Gandhi left 24 Akbar Road for the ED office, many Congress leaders along with workers/functionaries started proceeding along with him in the form of a procession, said Hooda.
Many leaders, including party leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, KC Venugopal and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, 5 MLAs of different State Assemblies, were among the total 459 detained in the New Delhi district under section 65 DP Act for not following lawful directions of police for maintenance of law & order, according to Hooda.
Suitable legal action was being taken for violation of orders promulgated under section 144 CrPC. Some complaints have been received at Tughlak Road Police Station regarding injuries to Congress leaders/workers during police action but no such incident of use of force by police took place as per knowledge and no MLC case has been reported so far. Still, if there were allegations of some manhandling or so during the detention, the same will diligently be looked into for appropriate action, the police officer said.
