CNN
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A senior leader of India’s largest opposition parliamentary party has been arrested on suspicion of insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pawan Khela was arrested at Delhi airport and removed from the plane along with other party members after calling Modi “Narendra Gautamdas Modi” on Thursday.
Adani, one of the world’s richest people, has been out for two weeks after a report last month by financial research firm and short-selling firm Hindenburg Research leveled allegations of stock market manipulation and fraud against the Adani group. I saw my net worth cut in half in no time. The Adani Group has denounced the report as “baseless” and “malicious”.
Adani is considered a close ally of Modi.
In recent months, Modi has been accused of silencing his critics after the country banned a BBC documentary criticizing the prime minister’s role in deadly riots more than two decades ago.
Earlier this month, Indian tax authorities raided the BBC’s offices in New Delhi and Mumbai, citing “irregularities and inconsistencies” in the BBC’s taxes. The BBC defended the documentary and said it was responding to a tax audit.
Police in Assam state said they had sent a team to New Delhi to arrest Kela for questioning after a case was registered on Wednesday for “offensive remarks about the prime minister.”
“[Khera] Assam State Police spokesman Prasanta Kumar Buyan told CNN.
On Thursday, India’s Supreme Court ordered Kela out on parole. CNN has not yet been able to contact Kela and his attorney.
The Congress Party called Kella’s arrest “undemocratic” and said in a statement, “We strongly oppose this dictatorial action.”
