National Herald case: Delhi Police denies entering Congress HQ, says not using force

After allegations by the Congress that police had entered the party headquarters and beaten up their workers, Delhi Police has a issued a denial.

Congress workers have been turning up in large numbers since Monday to protest against Enforcement Directorate's questioning of Rahul Gandhi in National Herald case.

Special CP (Law & Order) Sagar Hooda told news agency ANI that there might have been a scrimmage because people threw barricades at police near the Congress office but police did not enter the headquarters and use force.

The senior police officer added that Congress leaders had not been given permission to take out a protest on Wednesday and they had also been asked to ensure that workers do not gather outside Enforcement Directorate officer or the party headquarters since prohibitory orders are in force.

He went to add that around 800 Congress workers have been detained since Monday.

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The Congress had earlier in the day posted a video on Twitter of Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel pushing through the party headquarters and taking the workers away.

"What is happening in the country. Have we become a Banana Republic? Is this democracy? The Constitution is being violated," senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.

Accusing the police of high-handedness, the Congress Lok Sabha leader said they entered the party office and beat up Congress workers. He claimed that the police would have caused a havoc had the media not been there.

"Our workers are being beaten up mercilessly," Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, cautioning the BJP.

The police have put up barricades around the Congress headquarters and workers were prevented from entering the party office.

Congress leaders claimed this was the first time in the country that party workers were not allowed to enter their office

(with PTI inputs)