AAP candidate Balli Singh Cheema. AAP candidate Balli Singh Cheema.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Nainital Lok Sabha constituency in Uttarakhand, Balli Singh Cheema, was recently arrested for holding a protest against the police.

The police arrested Cheema along with 16 AAP workers on Sunday while they were protesting over the seizure of his vehicle for allegedly violating the model code of conduct. The vehicle was impounded for using two loudspeakers instead of one.

The police said that the AAP candidate and his supporters further violated Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) by holding the protest.

Cheema was produced before a local court which sent him to 14-day judicial custody. He would thus have to remain in jail till the final day of campaigning for the election.

The court sent Cheema to jail along with two others as they did not seek bail, while the remaining 14 AAP workers were released on bail.

The AAP has demanded a new date for polling and unconditional release of its candidate. It has submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission in this regard.

Polling for the five Lok Sabha seats in the hill state is scheduled on May 7.