3 min readNew DelhiAug 1, 2026 03:24 PM IST
Political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla on Saturday claimed Delhi Police placed him under house arrest ahead of his planned hunger strike against the Centre’s ethanol-blended fuel policy.
In a video posted on X, Poonawalla claimed that Delhi Police, including women officers, had prevented him from stepping out of his residence. Sharing the footage, he wrote, “An entire battalion of Delhi Police including women officers have put me under house arrest!! Nitin Gadkari is scared of Ethanol.”
An entire battalion of @DelhiPolice cops including women officers have put me under house arrest!!
Nitin Gadkari ji sir is scared of #Ethanol. #EthanolScam
BETA BADHAO YOJNA
SUGAR DADDY pic.twitter.com/THLToM1HyE— Tehseen Poonawalla Official 🇮🇳 (@tehseenp) August 1, 2026
The video shows Poonawalla repeatedly asking police officers whether there was any official order authorising the action. “No papers, nothing. I am under house arrest,” he says in the video while questioning why he was not being allowed to leave his home.
Poonawalla is also heard saying, “What did I do wrong? I’m requesting you, please tell me…Sir, you’re putting law-abiding citizens under house arrest while other goons are free outside.”
Tehseen Poonawalla’s planned indefinite hunger strike
The activist had announced on Friday that he would be on a solo walk to Gandhi Smriti and begin an indefinite hunger strike against the government’s ethanol-blended fuel policy. The announcement came after the Delhi Police reportedly denied permission for his proposed “Gaadi March” to Parliament on July 31.
Poonawalla has been critical of the Centre’s E20 rollout, arguing that motorists whose vehicles are designed for E10 fuel should continue to have access to it. In an interview with The Indian Express, he said he had conveyed his concerns to Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
“Our demands are very clear, make E10 fuel available for E10-compliant vehicles, which account for nearly 80-90 per cent of the vehicles currently on Indian roads. Also make ethanol-free petrol available at an affordable price. Right now, it is sold for around Rs 165-170 a litre.”
He also argued that other countries are importing fuel from India, including Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, sell petrol to consumers at lower prices. Poonawalla also proposed that E20 fuel should be offered at a 20 per cent discount, allowing consumers to choose the fuel best suited to their vehicles.
Story continues below this ad
“Keep all documents related to E20 in the public domain,” Poonawalla stated.
The Delhi Police hasn’t immediately issued a statement on the issue.