Renuka Chowdhury holds cop by collar, 'DARE-DEVIL' act of Congress leader stirs BIG controversy

Telangana Congress on Thursday held a massive protest in Hyderabad over the ED investigating Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case.

Hyderabad: In an attempt to resist detention during the Congress party`s protest over the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons to Rahul Gandhi, party leader and former union minister Renuka Chowdhury on Thursday held a policeman by his collar while being taken away by other police personnel in Hyderabad. Pictures released by news agency ANI show Chowdhury holding a cop by his collar during the protest. Chowdhury was also seen engaging in a heated argument with the policeman as she held his collar. Telangana Congress held a massive protest in Hyderabad today over the ED investigating Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. Several Congress workers and leaders were detained by the police.

Women police personnel then dragged the former union minister towards the police van. Congress had given a "Chalo Raj Bhavan" call and at Telangana`s Raj Bhavan police detained several party workers who attempted to stage a protest there.

Apart from Hyderabad, the Congress held protests in several parts of the country including Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan.

Case filed against Renuka Chowdhury

A case was registered against former union minister and senior Congress leader Renuka Chowdhary at Panjagutta police station under section 353 IPC for holding the collar of a sub-inspector today afternoon during dharna to protest Ed questioning of Rahul Gandhi.

While addressing the media, Chowdhury said, "I didn't assault. I've been booked, I'll face it. That's the law. I don't have anything against that young man. He never did anything to me. I was losing balance&I held on. If you move, I'll have to hold this to steady myself as we were being pushed&bullied from the back."

Congress holds nationwide protest

Congress workers held a protest march in Bengaluru and Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar, CLP leader Siddaramaiah and other leaders and workers of the party were detained by police during their protest in Bengaluru."The protest is our right. We will fight for justice. They (ED) are not taking cases of any BJP leaders. They are harassing only Congress people," Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar told ANI.

Bengaluru witnessed traffic snarls and an ambulance was seen stuck in the traffic.

Bengaluru Police said the Congress protest was against the High Court`s order. "High Court had earlier ordered that protests will not be held anywhere except Freedom Park. We conveyed it to them. They gave us in writing about protest but we rejected it. We conveyed it to them in the morning too. If they proceed, we will take them into preventive custody," Bheemashankar S Guled, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru East told ANI.

Meanwhile, Congress workers also held a protest in Chandigarh against the questioning of Rahul Gandhi by the ED. Police detained several workers of the party.

Congress workers also staged a demonstration in Chennai and Jaipur." They want to suppress Rahul Gandhi`s voice. They can`t scare Indira Gandhi`s grandson with lathis. Congress will be the reason behind BJP`s end," said Rajasthan Minister P Khachariyawas.

Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse Congress workers protesting in Thiruvananthapuram over the ED probe against party leader Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case.

According to sources, Rahul Gandhi has been asked to rejoin the probe on Friday by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with the National Herald case. The Congress leader left the ED office after 9 pm on Wednesday after he appeared before the ED for the third consecutive day for questioning. 

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)