New Delhi: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been booked by Delhi Police on charges of trespassing following their entry into the All India Radio premises during a protest against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
According to a police officer, an FIR has been registered at the Parliament Street Police Station under relevant sections, and an investigation has been initiated.
The incident took place on Tuesday when around 200 MPs of the INDIA bloc marched from Makar Dwar of Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The march was stopped at Akashwani Bhawan after the protesters had travelled around 700 metres, with police barricades blocking their route.
During the confrontation, Rahul Gandhi climbed over the barricades and entered the All India Radio premises, reportedly asking a security guard to let him inside. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other opposition leaders, including Congress general secretary K C Venugopal and MP Deepender Hooda, subsequently entered the building.
Police sources said the main gates of the premises had been closed, while a smaller entry gate remained open. The leaders demanded a meeting with the Election Commissioner and staged a sit-in inside the premises.
Senior Delhi Police officers entered the building and attempted to persuade the protesters to leave. However, the leaders remained inside for nearly seven hours before they were detained around 7 pm. They were subsequently taken to the New Police Lines at Kingsway Camp in northwest Delhi.
Akashwani Bhawan is located approximately 200 metres from the Election Commission headquarters.
