Indian Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi detained amid protests

• They were protesting against issues ranging from inflation to the alleged targeting of opposition leaders.
• Party president Sonia Gandhi was being questioned by a government agency.
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• The Gandhis are accused of misusing party funds to purchase real estate.

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was detained by police while protesting with members of his party, the Congress on Tuesday.

They were protesting in Delhi while party president Sonia Gandhi was being interrogated by a government agency that investigates financial crimes.

She and Rahul Gandhi have been accused of misusing party funds to purchase valuable real estate in a complicated financial transaction.

The Gandhis deny the charges.

They have accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of politicising federal law enforcement agencies.

Mrs Gandhi was questioned for the second time in connection with the case.

Mr Gandhi and other party members had sat on a road in Delhi, surrounded by dozens of police officers, protesting against issues ranging from inflation to the alleged targeting of opposition leaders before he was detained.

After about an hour, he and several others were transported to a detention centre by bus.

In the same case, Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the ED for approximately 50 hours over five days in June. Mrs Gandhi was summoned for questioning at the same time as Mr Gandhi, but her summons was delayed after she tested positive for Covid-19.

The 75-year-old leader was admitted to the hospital and later released.

Mrs Gandhi is being questioned by a federal law enforcement agency for the first time. The BJP has denied accusations made by Congress party leaders that they are abusing federal institutions to settle political scores.

Subramanian Swamy, a BJP politician, filed the case against the Gandhis, accusing them of misusing party funds to purchase the now-defunct National Herald newspaper.