Daijiworld Media Network

New Delhi, Jul 11: Ram Jethmalani, counsel for Baba Ramdev, alleged in the Supreme Court on Monday July 11 that union home minister P Chidambaram was responsible for the police crackdown during Ramdev's protest at Ramlila grounds in New Delhi on June 4.

Jethmalani also appealed to the SC to issue a notice to Chidambaram on the matter. The appeal will be taken up during the next hearing on July 25.

The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Delhi police for its action and asked it to provide the footage of the crackdown. It also demanded to know what provoked police to open tear gas and use lathicharge on sleeping protestors.

Sources said the SC also showed its discontent at the police for not registering FIRs against its own officials when the followers came to complain.

A few days after the crackdown, the Delhi police had said that the action was justified as Ramdev had sought permission only to hold a yoga camp and not for protest. They had also claimed that there had been a threat to Ramdev's life and it was necessary to take action. Ramdev, on the other hand, claimed that the government had sent the police to kill him.