Former prime minister V P Singh, Communist Party of India general secretary A B Bardhan and Jan Morcha President Raj Babbar were arrested on Thursday when they tried to enter Uttar Pradesh defying ban orders to stage a protest against the land acquisition process for the Reliance Energy [Get Quote] power project in Dadri.

Besides the three leaders, Lok Jan Shakti Party parliamentarian Ramchandra Paswan and former Samajwadi Party parliamentarian Sakshi Maharaj and hundreds of supporters were also arrested at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border near Ghazipur on National Highway 24.

The leader, with hundreds of supporters in tow, were on their way for a 'kisan rally' in Bajhera Khurd village near Dadri where the Uttar Pradesh government had acquired land for the ambitious power project planned by Anil Ambani's Reliance Energy Generation Limited.

The 'kisan rally' has been banned by the state administration, which has also clamped prohibitory orders in the area. The leaders were taken to the government guest house in Vasundhara locality nearby, while the supporters were driven in vehicles to jails in Hapur and Dasna.

The Uttar Pradesh administration has made elaborate security arrangements to prevent any untoward incident in the region. Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel and several companies of the Rapid Action Force besides a posse of policemen have been deployed on the border and Dadri, where the power plant is being set up.

Singh has been alleging that the state government had acquired land from farmers for the Reliance Energy power project at dirt cheap prices and is leading a campaign on the issue.