Arrested social activist Anna Hazare was on Tuesday night released by Delhi Police, who was arrested for defying prohibitory orders and earlier sent to seven days judicial custody.

Hazare had declined government’s release order and refused to come out of Tihar jail till he was given permission to fast in the J P Park, his close aide Manish Sisodia told reporters. Hazare is continuing his fast in jail, Sisodia added.

Hazare and some of his close associates were arrested and prevented from going ahead with their indefinite fast demanding a “strong” Lokpal in defiance of the prohibitory orders.
The 73-year old Gandhian was picked up at 7.30 am from a flat where he was staying in Mayur Vihar in east Delhi after he refused to be persuaded by the Delhi Police officials who urged him not to undertake the fast since it would be in violation of prohibitory orders that were imposed on Monday night.

Hazare and his aides including Arvind Kejriwal, were first taken to the Delhi Police Officers’ Mess in North Delhi and were shifted to another after Hazare’s supporters gathered in a large numbers at the Civil Lines areas.

Nearly 1400 activists were detained in various parts of the city when they came out in support of Hazare, who had planned to launch the fast at J P park near Ferozeshah Kotla and Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta said they would be released after “some time”.

The social activist, who is campaigning for a legislation that will cover the Prime Minister, higher judiciary and MPs conduct within Parliament among other things, was later taken to Rajouri Garden police station in West Delhi where a Special Executive Magistrate remanded him to 7 days’ judicial custody.

The decision to remand him came after Hazare refused to sign a personal bond undertaking that he will not defy the prohibitory orders and hold protests.

Kiran Bedi, Shanti Bhushan released

Civil rights activists Kiran Bedi and Shanti Bhushan, detained by Delhi Police Tuesday morning ahead of Anna Hazare’s fast-unto-death, were released in the evening, police said.

“Kiran Bedi and Shanti Bhushan have been released,” Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat told reporters. He said theirs was “preventive arrest”.

Bedi and Bhushan were detained under the Delhi Police Act, on charges of refusing to comply with the directions given by a police officer.

Hazare, fellow activist Arvind Kejriwal and six supporters were sent to Tihar jail by a special executive magistrate for not signing a bail bond and promising not to violate prohibitory orders.

Police had clamped prohibitory orders at the J P Park where the activists were planning to sit on fast against corruption.