Senior lawyer and Swaraj Abhiyan member Prashant Bhushan has moved Delhi High Court against the detention of his former Aam Aadmi Party member Yogendra Yadav calling the move illegal. Bhushan questioned why no lawyer has been allowed to meet the detained.
The issue will be taken up for hearing on Tuesday evening. Former AAP leader and Swaraj Abhiyan member Yogendra Yadav was detained along with several other farmers at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Monday night for holding protests. He was later formally charged for violating prohibitory orders.
According to police, Yadav had taken permission to protest till Monday evening but he violated the permission by continuing his protest.
Meanwhile, the protest saw unprecedented support from AAP members. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lent his support to Yadav, just a dew days after the two leaders parted ways following a bitter feud. Other AAP leaders including Sanjay Singh landed up at Parliament Street police station where Yadav was being held. But Yogendra Yadav's supporters protested against Sanjay Singh's presence.
The former AAP leader was arrested along with 85 volunteers of his Swaraj Abhiyan during a protest on farmers' issue at Jantar Mantar as police thwarted their planned rally to Race Course. Condemning the police action, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal came out in support of Yadav, with whom he had a bitter public falling out four months ago leading to the latter'souster from Aam Aadmi Party.
The protesters alleged that the policemen manhandled Yadav and other volunteers during the crackdown in the wee hours, a charge denied by the police which said it was a preventive arrest as they were planning to take out a rally without permission in the high security 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. They were also planning a march at the Delhi Race Course. Last evening they asked to extend for permission until August 16. As the deadline got over, we asked them to vacate the place. No one has been injured as claimed by protesters," said a senior police officer, adding that the arrested will be produced before a Special Magistrate.
The police said they have made "preventive arrests" under sections 107 (action where breach of the peace or disturbance is apprehended) and 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
Yadav and Bhushan were expelled from AAP in April after they raised questions over the functioning style of Kejriwal and alleged lack of transparency. Swaraj Abhiyan, formed by two expelled AAP leaders, had undertaken Jai Kisan Andolan, a farmers' agitation against the alleged "anti-peasants" policies of the Centre.
Their 'tractor rally' culminated into a day-long protest at Jantar Mantar on Monday, which was attended by farmers from many states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The outfit has also been demanding to convert the Delhi Race Course into a memorial for farmers.
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