NEW DELHI: Former J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik was briefly “detained” along with dozens of farmers and khap leaders on Saturday afternoon, though Delhi Police denied it.
The police said Malik presented himself at the R K Puram police station along with his supporters. “False Information is being spread on social media regarding the detention of Satya Pal Malik. He himself arrived at PS RK Puram along with his supporters. He has been informed that he is free to leave at his own will,” said Police on Twitter.
Malik was allegedly questioned after he without seeking prior permission, held a meeting at a park in the RK Puram area.
Malik was on Friday summoned by the CBI for questioning as a witness in a case of alleged corruption in a group insurance scheme for J&K employees during his governorship.
Malik on Saturday had organized a get-together and a lunch with various farmers’ leaders and Khap panchayat elders from Haryana, UP, Rajasthan, MP and Uttarakhand.
The farmer leaders said a team of Delhi Police uprooted a tent set up at Malik’s residence and “arrested” them.
“Malik ji invited us over the lunch a week back,” says Gurunam Singh Chadhuni, a farmer leader from Haryana. “We all joined as we consider him a friend of farmers, but the police arrested us and took us to different police stations. Malik ji was taken to the R.K. Puram Police Station while we were taken to Vasant Kunj Police Station,” said Chadhuni.
Malik tweeted “Arrested” at 12:52 pm with a video of a group of ‘detained’ farmers and khap leaders in a bus. These leaders can be seen in the video shouting slogans against the police and the government.