By – Prakarsh Kastwar
Gokhale claimed that the arrested group was informed they would be brought to Mandir Marg police station, but the bus was taking them to an unknown place.
In reply to party leaders being held by Delhi Police on Monday for staging a 24-hour demonstration outside the Election Commission headquarters, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale accused the police of kidnapping five party MPs and four former MPs.
Gokhale alleged that the arrested group was informed they would be brought to the Mandir Marg police station in Delhi, but the bus was taking them to an unknown place.
Gokhale wrote on X, “Delhi Police has kidnapped us 5 TMC MPs and 4 former MPs.” We were demonstrating at EC and were warned that we would be transported to Mandir Marg Police Station. And then, unexpectedly, the bus was redirected to an unknown destination.”
Following their meeting with the poll body member, the TMC delegation of ten protested. Derek O’Brien, Mohammed Nadimul Haque, Dola Sen, Saket Gokhale, and Sagarika Ghose were among the delegation, as were MLA Vivek Gupta, former MPs Arpita Ghosh, Santanu Sen, and Abir Ranjan Biswas, and Sudip Raha, vice president of the party’s West Bengal student branch.
Gokhale said in his message, “Note this – 5 SITTING MPs & 4 former MPs assaulted, detained, and now being illegally taken to some unknown place by @DelhiPolice.”
After being held, O’Brien told reporters, “We’re here to fight.” We will continue our nonviolent demonstration…This is a complete dictatorship, but we are from TMC and will oppose it.”
While protesting, Ghose stated that the TMC team urged the EC to ensure a level playing field in Lok Sabha elections and to prohibit the misuse of central agencies against opposition figures.
The TMC said that numerous party leaders were shoved around, and MP Dola Sen suffered leg injuries, according to PTI.
The Mamata Banerjee-led party has repeatedly accused central investigative agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the Income Tax (I-T) Department of unfairly targeting opposition parties on behalf of the BJP-led government.
A police officer told PTI that the detention occurred because section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which prohibits large gatherings, was in effect in the region, and no permission was received for the protest.