LUCKNOW: Retired IPS officer S R Darapuri and Congress worker Sadaf Jafar walked out of jail on bail Tuesday, with the Congress member accusing the police of high-handedness during the arrest.

They were granted bail on Saturday in connection with anti-CAA protests in Lucknow on December 19.

However, the two could be released only three days later as some formalities could not be completed, sources said.

Commenting on his arrest, Darapuri said the case against him was fake.

Jafar, also a social activist, alleged, "I was slapped by many and called Pakistani because of my name. In the night, I was told that a senior police officer wanted to meet me. I had hoped that at least on the ground of humanity and my constitutional rights, my family will be informed of my whereabouts but when I went to meet him, I was abused.".

Claiming that police had no evidence against him, Darapuri told PTI, "I have worked as a senior officer in the state police for 32 years and my task was to maintain law and order and not to instigate violence. I had no role in the violence that took place in the state capital on December 19 yet I was framed in a fake case."

Darapuri said on the day of violence, he was under house arrest and no post of his on Facebook or social media was such which could foment violence.

"I had appealed to people not to indulge in violence and protest through peaceful means," Darapuri said, alleging that the violence was sponsored and jointly instigated by the RSS and the BJP, along with police.

Speaking about her meeting with the senior police officer, Jafar said the policewomen "assaulted and clawed her face".

"The officer told the women police to slap me. He was not satisfied. He then himself pulled my hair and kicked my stomach and knee. None of them were wearing badges to keep their identities hidden," she alleged.

Sadaf Jafar said that the manner in which Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stood by her in the hour of crisis removed all fears and she would continue to take the struggle forward.

Jafar was arrested on December 19 while 76-year-old Darapuri was arrested the next day.

Soon after their release, Priyanka Gandhi tweeted, "Ambedkarite thinker and former IPS S R Darapuri and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar released from jail today. When court had asked for proof, the state police appeared clueless. The BJP showed its real ideology by arresting innocents and those taking forward the legacy of Baba Saheb Ambedkar."

In another tweet, she said, "..but lies can never win."

She also posted pictures of Darapuri and Jafar on her Twitter account.

