Popular YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has claimed that he is “unofficially” under house arrest, saying that around 50 police personnel are stationed outside his residence and that he is being followed and threatened with detention if he approaches a protest.
Speaking to The Lallantop, India Today’s sister outlet, Rathee said he wanted to join the INDIA bloc’s planned march to the Supreme Court today to demand Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over SIR irregularities.
“I want to join the protest but they (police) have stationed around 50 people outside my house. Wherever I go, they follow me and threaten me, saying that if I go anywhere near a protest, they would pick me up immediately again,” he said.
Asked whether he was under house arrest, Rathee replied, “Unofficially, I would say so.”
“The police are all around me. Wherever I go, they follow me. They followed me in a car too. Three or four cars follow me,” he alleged.
The influencer also dismissed questions about a possible visa investigation, saying, “I am an Indian citizen, there is no visa issue for me.”
The YouTuber was detained by Delhi Police ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday. He has described the incident as “kidnapping."
In a video released on Sunday, he alleged that people in plain clothes took him from his residence in Gurugram and moved him between police stations. He further claimed that he was denied access to his phone and was not allowed to contact his lawyer for around 22-23 hours.
Delhi remained on high alert for the third consecutive day on Monday, with more than 30,000 police and paramilitary personnel deployed across the capital ahead of the INDIA bloc’s march to the Supreme Court.
The Opposition parties are demanding Kumar’s resignation, an end to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a return to paper ballots. They have accused the Election Commission of irregularities under the slogan “vote chori”.
Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge sought a meeting with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant to raise the allegation, but the latter declined, saying similar matters are sub judice in the Supreme Court, sources said.
As part of the security arrangements, entry and exit gates at six Delhi Metro stations will remain closed until 4 pm. Security has also been tightened at the city's borders, railway stations, bus terminals and other sensitive locations to prevent unauthorised gatherings and maintain law and order.
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