Protest against CEC: FIR against Rahul, Priyanka over entry into Akashvani Bhawan

Rahul, Priyanka detained after 8-hour Akashvani sit-in, complaint filed

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police have received a complaint from Akashvani staffers against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, as well as the MPs and others accompanying them, for allegedly forcing their way into the Akashvani office.Rahul and Priyanka were briefly detained on Tuesday night after an over eight-hour sit-in at the Akashvani Bhawan premises. The protest began after police stopped INDIA bloc MPs from marching towards the Election Commission's office, around 300 metres away, over allegations of "vote chori".Rahul had entered the All India Radio premises on Parliament Street around noon and joined the protest.Earlier, during the march from Parliament towards the EC headquarters, he climbed atop barricades as opposition MPs raised slogans of "Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod".

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule and several other opposition leaders also took part in the march.Security personnel stopped the MPs near the NITI Aayog office amid heavy barricading around Parliament and the EC office.Police later forcibly removed Rahul and several other Congress leaders and MPs, including K C Venugopal, Charanjit Singh Channi, Pawan Khera, K Suresh, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Deepender Hooda, Praniti Shinde, Varsha Gaekwad and Imran Pratapgarhi, as the protesting MPs and leaders were cleared from the AIR premises.

The detainees were taken to New Police Lines at Kingsway Camp. Police said around 250 people, including 50 MPs, were detained on Tuesday night following the prolonged sit-in. Gandhi and other Congress leaders were released around 10 pm, the party said.The opposition MPs were protesting over "vote chori" allegations and seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar in the wake of media reports alleging differences within the Election Commission over the SIR of electoral rolls and other issues.