Won't move, Kejriwal tells police

The Delhi Police Tuesday tried to persuade Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal twice to change his protest venue. However, he refused to budge, officials said.

"We have spoken to Kejriwal twice, and tried to persuade him to shift the protest base to Jantar Mantar as, like here, Section 144 is not implemented in that area," Deputy Commissioner of police (New Delhi) S.B.S. Tyagi told IANS.

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) prohibits the assembly of more than five people in one place.

Citing security reasons ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, Tyagi said: "We keep receiving inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and can say that there is a looming threat."

However, according to officials, Kejriwal refused outright and said he will not move until his "demands are met".

The protest by Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues continued for the second day Tuesday as he demanded control over Delhi Police and suspension of five police officials.

The chief minister, along with his ministers and volunteers, spent the entire night on the road outside the Rail Bhavan in the heart of central Delhi, raising slogans.