Strongly defending Anna Hazare's detention, the government on Tuesday said the Gandhian activist was taken into custody after the Delhi police came to the conclusion that he and his supporters would commit a "cognisable offence" by defying prohibitory orders.
Home Minister P Chidambaram said that after being taken into custody, the 73-year-old was taken to the Police Officers Mess in Civil Lines and he will be produced before a magistrate.
"The police met Anna Hazare this morning and he told them that he intended to defy the prohibitory orders. At that time, the police came to the conclusion that he will commit a congnisable offence. They invoked articles 107 and 151 of the CrPC which calls for preventive measures," he told a press conference.
Chidambaram was replying to a volley of questions on why the Delhi police had detained Hazare and his supporters even before they defied the prohibitory orders.
He said nearly 1,200-1,300 people have been detained across the national capital.
Chidambaram said if Hazare and his supporters were not happy with the conditions imposed by the Delhi police for their proposed stir, they could have challenged it in a court of law.
"They are free to go to court even now," the home minister said.
He also ridiculed Hazare's demand for the enforcement for their Jan Lokpal Bill, saying, "Laws cannot be made by social activists in a maidan."
