The Delhi Police on Saturday (26 June) clarified that claims of controversial farmer leader Rakesh Tikait being arrested is fake news. The false claim was among others, tweeted by Kisan Ekta Morcha, when then proceeded to delete it after DCP East Delhi warned of action for spreading such fake news.

"Fake news! News related to arrest of Rakesh Tikait is incorrect. Pl stay away from such fake news/tweets. Action will be taken for spreading such false news/tweets", DCP East Delhi Tweeted.

Subsequently, Rakesh Tikait also confirmed that he has not been arrested and is currently placed at the purported protest site at Delhi's Ghazipur border.

Tikait who had steadfastly refused to call off the protest against farm laws despite Covid-19's second wave and the consequent lockdowns, was recently accused of illegally occupying a farmer's land in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar and destroying the crop in the field.

The Delhi Police had named Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait beside other farmer leaders in the FIR over the violence that broke out in various parts of the national capital during the farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day.

In the video, farmer leader Tikait could be heard as telling the protesting farmers that the government is playing hardball (“zyada kaidi pad rahi hai sarkar”) and the farmers need to be armed with sticks (“lathi-danda”) in the rally.