New Delhi, August 16
In a dramatic 15-hour-long high-pressure drama, the Delhi Police first arrested social activist Anna Hazare, sent him to seven-day judicial custody for defying prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC and then took a U-turn and ordered his release here this evening.

However, Anna Hazare refused to come out of Tihar Jail despite being offered a release. The 73-year-old Gandhian, who was fasting in the jail, was insisting on unconditional release and a permission to launch his fast at Jai Prakash Narain Park from where he had planned to launch it this morning.

Hazare’s close aide Manish Sisodia, who was arrested along with him and later released, said the Gandhian had told the authorities that he would come out of the prison only after he was given a written unconditional permission to continue his fast at Jai Prakash Narain Park here.

Sisodia said Hazare and activist Arvind Kejriwal were continuing with their fast.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police justified its decision to order the release of Anna Hazare by saying that it had “no intention” of detaining him for the night.

The social activist was sent to judicial custody after his arrest this morning under Sections 107 and 151 of the CrPC as he refused to sign a personal bond or give an undertaking that he would neither violate prohibitory orders promulgated by the Delhi Police nor ask his supporters to do so.

Later in the evening, the way was paved for Hazare’s release after the Delhi Police decided not to insist on its earlier demand that he should give an undertaking that he would not defy prohibitory orders.

When asked about the sudden turnaround in the attitude of the police, Rajan Bhagat, Additional DCP, Delhi Police, said, “It was never our intention to keep Anna Hazare in the jail and we believe that after his release he would refrain from breaking the law.”

Prashant Bhusan, a member of the Jan Lokpal Bill movement, termed this as the “power of the people”.

Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi and former Union Law Minister Shanti Bhushan were also detained under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act and released in the evening. Ever since Anna’s arrest this morning, there had been a surge of countrywide protests.

Anna was produced before an executive magistrate and sent to Tihar Jail under judicial custody.

Along with Anna, key members of his movement like Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, and a large number of people from different walks of life were also taken into custody by the police.

While the police claimed that around 1,500 persons were detained, it was estimated that more than 3,000 persons had courted arrest during the day. 

* Refuses to leave Tihar despite being released

* Wants unconditional permission to fast at Jai Prakash Narain Park