Satya Pal Malik with his supporters at RK Puram police station in New Delhi.
Karam Prakash
New Delhi, April 22
High drama was witnessed in the National Capital on Saturday after the Delhi Police detained farmer union and khap leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP who had come to express solidarity with former J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik.
Ex-Governor came on his own: Police
We have not detained Malik. He came on his own volition, along with his supporters, to the RK Puram police station. We have informed him that he can leave at his own will. Manoj C, DCP (Southwest)
Why was he mum as governor: Shah
The issue should not be discussed in a public forum. If he had information about irregularities, he should have spoken during his tenure as Governor. Why is he making such claims now? Amit Shah, Union Home Minister
A CBI notice on Friday to Malik summoning him for questioning in an insurance “scam” in J&K is said to have prompted his supporters to reach Delhi. The supporters gathered at an MCD park in RK Puram even as the police claimed no permission was taken for the gathering. Malik insisted that “no permission was required for having lunch during a family function”.
The former Governor has been told to appear before the CBI on April 28 to answer queries in connection with the alleged scam. Incidentally, the CBI notice came days after Malik, in an interview, had made “revelations” about the Pulwama terror attack that had killed over 40 CRPF personnel. He had alleged that the Narendra Modi government had denied aircraft for the movement of the CRPF unit that was ambushed by terrorists.
After the police removed tents and chairs from the MCD park next to his residence, Malik said, “This is vendetta politics. The Delhi Police received a message not to allow me to meet farmers and khap leaders. There was no mike, speaker and no slogan was raised.” His supporters were taken to the RK Puram and Vasant Kunj police stations even as the police denied Malik was detained.
Farm union leaders, however, claimed Malik too was detained at the RK Puram police station. Gurmit Mehma, a farmer union leader who was detained too, said, “Satya Pal ji was also detained. We were released after a few hours.” Union leader from Haryana Gurnam Singh also claimed Malik had been detained.
Despite the Delhi Police’s denial, Malik retweeted a tweet of a farmer leader that mentioned “arrested”. “We have not detained former Governor Malik. He came on his own volition, along with his supporters, to the RK Puram police station and we informed him that he can leave at his own will,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Manoj C said.
Another officer claimed that a meeting was scheduled to be held at the MCD park in RK Puram and Malik was supposed to participate in it. He was informed that it was neither the place to hold a meeting nor had he sought permission from the authorities concerned. Malik and his supporters left the place and subsequently the former Governor came to the police station on his own, the officer added.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah today questioned Malik’s credibility saying “why did he not speak when he was in office”. He was responding to a query on the issue during ‘Karnataka Round Table’ organised by TV news channel.
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