New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS): The Congress on Wednesday protested outside the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital here against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for not allowing them to meet senior party leader D.K. Shivakumar who was taken to the hospital for a check up.

After four days of questioning, Shivakumar was arrested here on Tuesday night by the ED on charges of money laundering.

According to a senior Congress party source, General Secretary (Organisation) K. C. Venugopal along with some party MPs had gone to meet Shivakumar, who was taken to the RML hospital here for a check-up following complaints of high blood pressure.

"But all the Congress leaders were stopped at the gate of the RML hospital," the party leader said.

After the denial of permission to meet, Congress leaders staged a protest outside the hospital gate.

On Tuesday night, when Shivakumar was taken for a medical check up after his arrest, party workers had protested outside the hospital. In protest, several party supporters even tore their clothes.

According to party leaders, after his arrest, Shivakumar's blood pressure remained high during night.

Before producing hime in a Delhi court on Wednesday afternoon, Shivakumar was again taken for check up at the hospital.

Venugopal has described the arrest of Karnataka leader as a clear case of "political vendetta".