Opposition leaders stopped by Delhi Police on way to ED office over Adani issue

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) Delhi Police on Wednesday erected barricades and stopped leaders of several opposition parties marching towards the ED office here from Parliament House demanding a JPC probe into the Adani issue, saying prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were in place in the area.

The opposition leaders were stopped near Vijay Chowk in Lutyens’ Delhi.

Police made regular announcements using loudspeakers and urged the protesting MPs to vacate the area as CrPC Section 144, which prohibits the assembly of four or more people in an area, was in effect.

When the leaders could not move past the barricade, they called off their march and returned to Parliament House.

A senior police officer said earlier in the day that the police had made adequate security arrangements outside the ED office in view of the protest march.

The leaders wanted to hand over a complaint to the Enforcement Directorate on the Adani-Hindenburg issue.

Before starting their march, the leaders met in the office of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament House complex to chalk out a joint strategy on the issue.

The protest march began around 12.30 pm from Parliament House and MPs from several opposition parties took part in it. However, it was soon stopped by police.

The opposition has been demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue and has been stalling proceedings of Parliament over their demand.