Congress MPs detained in Delhi while protesting Rahul Gandhi's appearance before ED released after 11 hrs

Rahul Gandhi. Pic/PTI

Congress leaders detained on Monday during the party's protest ahead of Rahul Gandhi's ED appearane in a money-laundering probe linked to the National Herald newspaper, were released from various police stations after 11 hours.

Many Congress MPs who were detained for violating CrPC Section 144 were released around 11.30 pm soon after Rahul Gandhi left the Enforcement Directorate office after questioning. The MPs who were detained for over 11 hours include Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, K C Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala and Harish Rawat. Surjewala had earlier alleged that were kept under "illegal" detention in violation of the law under the Narendra Modi regime. A video showed Chowdhury and Venugopal asking the police to either arrest them or release them immediately.

"We are Members of Parliament. How can you detain us? Arrest us. We are ready to go to the court," Venugopal was heard telling the police in the video. Chowdhury told the police, "You cannot illegally detain us like this. Either arrest us or release us now." Harish Rawat also put out a video saying they were not released from police detention and have to wait till Rahul Gandhi leaves the ED office.

They also said that allegations of manhandling and injuries to protesting Congress leaders during police action will be diligently looked into. Hundreds of Congress workers in Delhi took to the streets and several senior leaders were detained amid a massive show of strength by the party which had called for a Satyagrah march against the ED's questioning of Rahul Gandhi. The opposition party alleged that some of its leaders were manhandled by the police.

It lashed out at the government for "not allowing" peaceful protests. Taking to Twitter, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "When three big, burly policemen crash into you, you are lucky to get away with a suspected hairline crack! Doctors have said that if there is a hairline crack, it will heal by itself in about 10 days. I am fine and I will go about my work tomorrow."

(With inputs from PTI)