Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 29 (IANS): The son of senior Congress leader and former Union Minister, Pradeep Jain Aditya, has sent a letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI), alleging that his father has been 'illegally confined' at his own house in Jhansi by Uttar Pradesh Police since December 25.

In his letter to the CJI sent on Monday, the former minister's son, Gaurav Jain, has sought his father's immediate release. He stated in his letter that the 'district administration and their political masters are targetting' his father due to his political affiliations.

Gaurav Jain, in his letter, further stated that his father's 'illegal detention' is in 'complete defiance of the rule of law'.

He stated, "It is submitted that the detention is completely illegal and in complete defiance of the rule of law. Such arbitrary police actions have violated my father's fundamental rights. Such high-handedness, which is against the basic tenets of the Constitution, is akin to an undeclared emergency," Gaurav Jain said in the letter.

He said it is unfortunate that the state of Uttar Pradesh is indulging in the action of illegal confinement and detention.

He urged the Chief Justice to take suo-motu cognizance of this matter of personal liberty and direct the authorities to immediately stop the illegal confinement.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress has alleged that Pradeep Jain Aditya and many other party leaders were put under house arrest to stop them from taking out a 'Gai Bachao, Kisan Bachao (save cow, save farmers)' march from Lalitpur to Chitrakoot from December 26 to 31.

The party had planned the march in different districts of Bundelkhand region to highlight alleged mismanagement in 'gaushalas' (cow shelters).

Meanwhile, Jhansi Deputy Superintendent of Police (City) Rajesh Kumar said earlier that the Congress leaders were stopped from moving out of their houses based on apprehension of breach of peace and there was no illegal detention', as alleged.