Tehseen Poonawalla Claims House Arrest Ahead of Protest Against E20 Fuel Policy
Activist's Allegations of Detention
New Delhi: Activist Tehseen Poonawalla has accused the Delhi Police of placing him under house arrest without any formal documentation in Greater Kailash, just before his planned solo march and hunger strike against the E20 fuel policy implemented by the BJP-led government.
On July 27, Poonawalla declared his intention to walk from APJ Abdul Kalam Marg to Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg, the site of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, and to observe a hunger strike on Friday in protest against the policy.
In a series of videos shared on his X account, Poonawalla stated that around 9:30 AM, approximately thirty minutes prior to his departure, several police officers, including women, arrived at his residence and prevented him from leaving.
Tehseen bhai was heading to the E20 protest but has now been placed under house arrest.
Well, that was expected. Muslim or not, he’s still GC. @tehseenp bhai, start chanting “Jai Bhim” at the GK guest house Modi ji will personally escort you to the protest. pic.twitter.com/se9xhhBION
— Abhinay Pandey (@AbhinayWithYou) August 1, 2026
He further claimed that the police did not present any orders or documents justifying his detention. Officers allegedly informed him that they were stopping him due to the anticipated large turnout for the march.
In one video, Poonawalla questioned a police officer about the legality of his detention without any written order, stating, "No papers, nothing. I am under house arrest… 'Azaadi ke 15 din pehle aap mujhe detain kar rahe' (You are detaining me 15 days before Independence Day)."
The officer replied that the planned march could potentially disrupt public order and urged Poonawalla to comply.
In a post on X, he mentioned that journalists outside his residence reported being unable to connect to the internet due to jammers installed nearby.
Poonawalla had announced his solo march after police allegedly denied permission for his Team Bharat "Gaadi March" to Parliament on July 31.
Among the most basic tenets of any democracy is the right to protest peacefully. One can agree. One can disagree. One can feel offended. One can feel vindicated. Feel what you might, but there can be no space for suppressing voices in any evolved democracy. https://t.co/d5TMKaGcLT
— Ruhi Tewari (@RuhiTewari) August 1, 2026
He also claimed that his Instagram account was suspended but restored a few hours later, alleging that the Delhi Police obstructed his communication with the media and threatened that citizens joining the protest could face arrest and have their vehicles confiscated.
"Walking alone and sitting alone in silence is not a violation of any law. I will sit at the spot where Bapu was assassinated in maun vrat, observing a day-long hunger fast," Poonawalla stated while announcing the protest.
Poonawalla has been vocal against the E20 fuel policy and has criticized Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari regarding this issue.
He demands that consumers should have the choice to purchase traditional petrol alongside E5 and E10 fuel blends, rather than being mandated to use E20 fuel.
One of the key demands from his campaign group, Team Bharat, is for fuel stations to continue offering 100% petrol, E5, and E10 fuels, allowing motorists to select the fuel that best suits their vehicles.
The government's introduction of E20 petrol, which consists of 20% ethanol and 80% petrol, has faced backlash from some opposition leaders and consumer advocacy groups, with many owners of older vehicles claiming it diminishes fuel efficiency and raises maintenance costs.