Overhearing talk about CAA protest, cab driver summons cops

A phone discussion about the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protest allegedly led a poet-activist being taken to police station by a cab driver here on Wednesday night.

Secretary of the All India Progressive Women's Association Kavita Krishnan tweeted about the incident, allegedly involving poet Bappadittya Sarkar on Thursday.

Sarkar himself could not be contacted to verify the account.

As per a purported statement by Sarkar, tweeted by Krishnan, he took an Uber cab from Juhu to Kurla around 10.30 pm on Wednesday.

During the journey he was discussing with his friend on mobile phone people's discomfort with 'Laal Salaam' slogan at Shaheen Bagh protest in Delhi.

The driver, who was listening, stopped the cab and told Sarkar he wanted to withdraw money from ATM.

When the driver returned, he had two policemen with him, who allegedly asked Sarkar why he was carrying a 'Dafli' (a percussion instrument), and also asked him his address.

Sarkar, as per the statement tweeted by Krishnan, told them that he was from Jaipur, and had visited the anti- CAA 'Mumbai Bagh' protest in the city for "sloganeering" earlier in the day.

The driver allegedly asked the police to take him in custody for "he was saying he was a communist and was talking about burning the country". The driver also claimed he had recorded the phone talk.

Sarkar was then taken to the police station, the statement said, without specifying which station it was.

Sarkar requested the police to listen to the conversation and verify the driver's claim.

The driver allegedly said to him, "You people will destroy the country and do you expect that we will seat looking at you."