Arvind Kejriwal and his supporters, including physically challenged protesters, who refused to leave the makeshift jail at Bawana in Outer Delhi demanding removal of Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid from the Cabinet alleged late on Friday night that the police were beating up the volunteers.
Mr. Kejriwal through his twitter account alleged: “The police are selectively picking up volunteers and beating them up, terrorising us.”
In another twitter message he alleged that a volunteer named Manish Guliya was taken by the police to a corner and badly beaten up.
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For their part, the police refuted the allegations stating that Mr. Kejriwal and about 150 others were detained under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act and taken to Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Bawana. “About a dozen of them are physically challenged. We told them that they were now free to go, but they have refused to leave the premises. Arrangements are in place for them to stay there for the night,” said a police officer deployed at the stadium.
Appointment refused
Mr. Kejriwal had earlier on Friday claimed that he had sought a meeting with the Prime Minister, but his office refused to give him and the physically challenged protesters an appointment.
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An India Against Corruption spokesperson said the organisation had joined the march taken out by Rashtriya Viklang Party to the Prime Minister’s 7 Race Course Road residence to press for their demands. The police intercepted the protesters some distance away, following which Mr. Kejriwal and others held a sit-in there. Although the police expressed willingness to allow some persons to visit the Prime Minister’s residence, the protesters refused to budge. They were then detained and taken to Bawana and other places.
Alleging the role of Mr. Khurshid and his wife in the alleged financial irregularities in a trust being run by them, Mr. Kejriwal has demanded action against them.
The Union Minister has dismissed the allegations as baseless, threatening to take Mr. Kejriwal to court.