"No Notice, No FIR Copy For 38 Hours": Priyanka Gandhi After Arrest In UP

The Congress's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, arrested while on way to Lakhimpur Kheri, said she has not been produced before a judicial officer or received any order, or notice, or copy of a First Information report. The police have told the media that the case against her and 10 others relates to preventive detention due to apprehension of breach of peace.

Ms Gandhi Vadra had intended to visit the families of farmers, who died on Sunday, allegedly mowed down by a vehicle driven by the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra. The violence that followed had claimed the lives of another four persons.

The state police, which had placed the area under a security blanket since, arrested Ms Gandhi Vadra and Deepender Hooda the next morning after a huge, dramatic confrontation. Since then, she has been lodged at the PAC (Provincial Arms Constabulary) Guest House, from where her team released visuals of her sweeping the floor.

At the time of her arrest, prohibitory orders under Section 144, which bars the gathering of more than four persons, had been declared in Lakhimpur Kheri.

But Ms Gandhi Vadra said to her knowledge, it was not in place in Sitapur, from where she was arrested.

"I was, in any case, traveling in a single vehicle with four other persons, two local Congress workers, Mr. Deepender Singh Hooda MP and Mr Sandeep Singh. No security car or Congress workers other than the four persons accompanying me were with me," read her statement.

"I have myself seen a portion of a paper on social media in which they have named 11 people - 8 of whom were not even present at the time I was arrested. In fact, they have even named the two persons who brought my clothes from Lucknow on the 4th afternoon," the statement added.

Several Congress and other opposition leaders have termed her arrest illegal.

Contending that her arrest violates her constitutional rights, along with several provisions of the CrPC, senior advocate and Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "The arresting police officer told her she was arrested under Section 151 of the CrPC. Any person arrested under Section 151 cannot be detained for more than 24 hours unless there is an order of the judicial magistrate under any other provision of law".

Through Monday and Tuesday, the UP police has not allowed any opposition leaders in the area. Earlier today Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was not allowed to step out of the Lucknow airport.

A team of Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party was detained.

Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was also not allowed to visit the area, gave an ultimatum today.

Mr Sidhu said the Punjab Congress will lead a march to Lakhimpur Kheri if the accused is not arrested, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is not released.

Earlier, Ms Gandhi Vadra questioned why the opposition leaders are being arrested when the accused - Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra - is roaming free.

"Why is the opposition arrested without any order and a man who has committed such a horrendous crime... he is not arrested? PM Modi, arrest him, not people like us," Priyanka Gandhi told NDTV from the guest house in Sitapur.