Ex-AAP leader Yogendra Yadav was today arrested along with 85 volunteers of his Swaraj Abhiyan during a protest on farmers' issue at Jantar Mantar but hours later he was released by a court and accused the police of highhandedness.
Condemning the post-midnight police crackdown on protesters who were demanding a farmers' memorial at Race Course here, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party came out in support of Yadav, four months after they had a bitter public falling out leading to Yadav's ouster from the party.
Police said they made the "preventive arrests" of Yadav, AAP MLA Pankaj Pushkar and others under sections 107 (action where breach of the peace or disturbance is apprehended) and 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) as they were planning to take out a rally without permission in the high security Delhi Race Course area.
"Yogendra Yadav and 85 others were arrested at around 1.30 AM today. They had permission to carry out the protest for two days. Last evening they asked to extend for permission until August 16. As the deadline got over, we asked them to vacate the place," said a senior police officer.
The protesters alleged that the policemen manhandled Yadav and other volunteers and the the Station House Officer of the Parliament Street Police Station, where they were lodged, threatened to kill him, a charge denied by the police.
Later, Yadav and the other volunteers were produced before a Special Magistrate at Mandir Marg Police station.
"The Special Magistrate ordered unconditional realease of Yadav and other members," said Swaraj Abhiyan leader Ajit Jha.
Yadav hailed his release as a "small victory" for the farmers' of the country. "All allegations against us have been quashed," he said.
"We did not intend to marhc towards Race Course road. Our plan was to stand with the plough at Jantar Mantar, as a symbolic protest, till August 15. Since when standing with plough has become a crime?" Yadav asked.
He said Swaraj Abhiyan was mulling over filing an FIR against the "ill-treatment" meted out to him and AAP MLA Pankaj Pushkar by the police.
"The SHO threatened to kill me...He said only his writ runs there," Yadav said.
Asked about the allegations, Delhi Police Chief BS Bassi said the police has always acted in the ambit of law.
"We always act within the ambit of the law," he said.
The outfit had yesterday organised a 'tractor rally' over farmers' issue which culminated into a day-long protest at Jantar Mantar and was attended by farmers from many states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Prior to the protest, police and volunteers had clashed on Sunday night.
