From old pages: Indira Gandhi was adamant about getting handcuffed after her arrest
– Photo: Amar Ujala Digital Graphic
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The Janata Party government, which came to power after the Emergency, arrested former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi under the Anti-Corruption Act. CBI had accused him of taking 104 jeeps from two companies. Indira also used this arrest as an opportunity to precipitate disaster.
He asked the officers to handcuff him before arresting him. When the officers were taking her to Badkhal after arresting her, after stopping at the railway gate, she got down from the car and sat on the culvert. Seeing him sitting on the bridge, a crowd of people gathered there. The officials had to abandon the idea of taking them to Badkhal.
According to the news published in Amar Ujala on 4 October 1977, Indira not only asked for handcuffs after her arrest but also refused to give personal bond. At that time his two sons Rajeev and Sanjay and daughters-in-law Sonia and Maneka were also present. After the arrest, a huge crowd gathered at the residence at 12 Willington Crescent.
Slogans of Indira Gandhi Zindabad started being raised. Maneka also started raising enthusiastic slogans along with the crowd. While taking her to Badkhal, Indira’s lawyer BR Handa was following her in another car. When the car stopped, Handa also got down from the car and protested against going to Badkhal. He said that Indira cannot be taken out of Delhi as she has been arrested without a magistrate’s order.
There was a lot of debate between Handa and CBI officials. The point of debate was that an arrested person cannot be transferred from the jurisdiction of one court to another. Indira Gandhi also refused to get up from the culvert knowing the legal situation. Meanwhile, his supporters gathered there also got agitated and started shouting slogans. He asked what law has the government changed to take Badkhal. After half an hour the CBI officials then agreed to return him to Delhi.
