Delhi police arrest over 50 Khap leaders from Satyapal Malik's house

A day after the CBI summoned the ex-governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satyapal Malik for questioning over the Reliance insurance scheme, Delhi police arrested 50 to 60 farmers' union leaders and Khap Panchayat representatives who were assembled at the ex-governor's house to show solidarity.

The Khap leaders were arrested from Som Vihar, New Delhi where they gathered to take part in a Khap, organised to support Malik.

Delhi Police on Saturday said it has not detained Satyapal Malik after several messages were seen circulating on social media about his alleged detention.

Malik later visited the police station after the leaders of farmers' groups and village bodies had been arrested.

The Delhi police said that Khap leaders were not allowed to hold any meeting without permission in a residential area. Some of the leaders were taken to police stations in RK Puram and Vasant Kunj.

Senior Punjab farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal — who formed the political outfit Sanyukt Samaj Morcha to contest the 2022 Assembly polls in the state — had tweeted recently: “Satya Pal Malik bravely exposed Pulwama. Farmers are his shield. He must carry on. All farmers’ organisations are with him.”

“All khaps active in Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, western UP and Rajasthan endorse Satpal Malik, as he keeps raising farmers’ issues, working for protecting the Constitution and strengthening democracy. A large number of khap leaders from different states will attend the function in Delhi on Saturday to express their solidarity with him,” Om Prakash Dhankar, coordinator, Sarv Khap Panchayat said on Friday.

Satyapal Malik has been summoned for a CBI inquiry on April 28 over an alleged corruption case by Reliance General Insurance that the former governor spoke about in a viral interview to The Wire. Among other things, he had revealed the failures of the Modi government in handling the Pulwama terror attacks. These revelations had led to widespread support from farmers' organisations from Punjab and Haryana.

Interestingly, Home Minister, Amit Shah who was in Bengaluru to attend a tall show on India Today questioned Malik's credibility. "Why was Satya Pal Malik mum when he was governor," asked Amit Shah on the allegations levelled by Malik against PM Modi.

This is a developing story. More updates to come