74-year old Gandhian and social activist Anna Hazare, who described his anti-corruption crusade as the beginning of a second freedom struggle, was today arrested by the Delhi police 3 hours before he was to begin his indefinite fast at JP Park in Delhi.
Along with him, the team members of his anti-corruption crusade Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Shanti Bhushan and Manish Sisodia have also been arrested by the Delhi police.
Police had arrested Hazare under Section 107 / 51 for his announcement of defying the prohibitory orders and taken him to the General Officers Mess in Civil Lines area of New Delhi. Police later called a magistrate who would decide on sending them to judicial custody or granting them bail.
Around 500 supporters tried to stop his arrest but police chased them away and took him into custody. Kiran Bedi, who was a leading campaigner in the anti-corruption crusade, described her arrest as unconstitutional and said the arrests were similar to what happened in the days of emergency.
Meanwhile, Team Anna’s lawyers said they would move court against the arrests. Anna Hazare and his team were demanding a stronger Lok Pal Bill to eliminate corruption totally in the country saying the Lok Pal Bill introduced in the Parliament was not strong enough to tackle corruption. They threatened to go on fast since this morning at the JP Park in New Delhi.
