9 hours with Delhi police: Why was ex-DoT officer taken away?

Former bureaucrat Ashish Joshi was questioned for nine hours by Delhi Police's Special Cell.

Joshi, a former Department of Telecommunications official, was questioned in connection with an old case and later released.

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit raised concerns about Joshi's initial disappearance during his morning walk.

Police sources confirmed Joshi was questioned by the Counter Intelligence unit and was not arrested.

The incident highlights police procedures in questioning former government officials in ongoing investigations.

Delhi poolice's special cell questioned former bureaucrat Ashish Joshi for nearly nine hours on Wednesday, however, he was later allowed to leave, according to police sources.

They said Joshi, a former controller of communications in the Department of Telecommunications, was not arrested and had only been called for questioning in connection with an old case. Details and the specific context in which he was questioned were not immediately available.

Details Of The Questioning : Joshi was brought to the Special Cell's office in New Friends Colony around 10 am and released around 7 pm. In a post on X, he said, "Just got back home. Delhi Special Cell dropped me home.

 Details later." He was questioned by a team of the Counter Intelligence unit, and his statement was recorded during the questioning, the sources said.

Congress Leader Raises Concerns : The development came after Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit earlier in the day claimed that two Delhi Police personnel had "taken away" Joshi from Nehru Park during his morning walk and that his whereabouts were unknown for several hours. 

Dikshit had said Joshi, a close friend of his who retired as an additional secretary a few months ago, called him in the morning but he could not answer. When he tried calling back, Joshi's phone was switched off, he claimed.

"An eyewitness who was walking with him told the family that two police personnel came and said they had to take Ashish with them for questioning over a recent tweet," Dikshit had claimed in a video statement. According to Dikshit, the policemen told Joshi that they were taking him to New Friends Colony and made him sit in his own car. His car was later found parked at the New Friends Colony police station, the Congress leader claimed.

Dikshit had also alleged that lawyers and others sent to the police station were initially unable to get confirmation about Joshi's whereabouts. 

Police sources later clarified that Joshi was at the Special Cell office in New Friends Colony and was being questioned by the Counter Intelligence unit. He was released in the evening after his statement was recorded and no arrest was made, the sources added.