A Ghaziabad resident volunteering at the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest over paper leaks at Delhi's Jantar Mantar has alleged that police detained his family members and harassed relatives because of his involvement in the agitation.
Mohammad Junaid, who has been providing free food and drinking water to protesters, told reporters at Jantar Mantar on Friday that Uttar Pradesh Police detained members of his family during a raid at his home in Ghaziabad and seized their bank passbooks and PAN cards.
According to his family, police from Masoori police station in Ghaziabad searched their house in Nahal village on Thursday evening. They alleged that Junaid's father, Mustafa, was taken away by the police, while bank passbooks and PAN cards belonging to family members were also seized.
Junaid's sister told the media that police asked her father to contact Junaid and tell him to return home.
Junaid further alleged that police also harassed his relatives in neighbouring Meerut district.
However, Meerut Police denied taking any action against Junaid's family.
Senior Superintendent of Police Avinash Pandey said no such matter had come to his notice.
Superintendent of Police (City) Vinayak Gopal Bhonsle said all police station heads in the district had been asked to verify the claims and confirmed that no member of Junaid's family had been detained.
"If any other district's police has taken any action, the details would be available with that district," Bhonsle said.
Social media posts have claimed that Junaid's father and his minor brother were detained and that his sister's father-in-law and brother-in-law in Meerut were also taken into custody.
Senior Ghaziabad police officers could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.
(With inputs from PTI)