As Congress leaders on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Centre alleging that the Delhi Police's "unwarranted" inquiries about party vice-president Rahul Gandhi amounted to "political espionage", the Capital's police chief said there was "no malafide intent".

The party demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh on why a team from the Delhi Police visited the Congress party office to seek details of Gandhi's physical appearance.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters that an assistant sub-inspector of the Delhi Police, identified by him as Shamsher Singh, was "found snooping" and making "unnecessary and weird" inquiries.

Singhvi added the policeman had inquired about the colour of Rahul's hairs, eyes, age, height, the shoes he uses and his father's name and the places he visits.

The policeman was stopped and accosted by the staff of Special Protection Group, who guard Rahul, at the residence of the Congress vice-president, Singhvi said.

Singhvi slammed the government saying it is a case of "political espionage and snooping" on rivals.

"We condemn the government and deprecate this kind of conduct," said Singhvi.

In a veiled reference to the snooping of a young woman in Gujarat during Modi's tenure as the chief minister, Singhvi, without naming Modi, said "espionage and surveillance" of political rivals may be a "Gujarat model, not India's model".

"The track record shows this kind of espionage was perfected in Gujarat for political opponents," he said.

Senior Congress leader PC Chacko too termed it as a "breach of privacy and highly unacceptable."

"It is intruding into the privacy of the citizen by Delhi Police without any valid purpose and is highly unacceptable," he said.

"Who has done this and under whose instructions, we would like to know. If it is true, then senior officials should explain who authorised them to come. Rahul Gandhiji is an MP, all the details are available on Parliament's website and there is nothing which is secret about him," he said.

"Every individual has the right to his privacy. They have now started intruding into the private lives of the citizens also... This is highly objectionable," he added.

Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi ruled out any mal afide intention with regard to the inquiry and added that the men in uniform did not initiate this step on the central government's orders.

"Our police officers did not go there with any mala fide motive. This was a routine activity that was necessary for policing," said Bassi.

"Prevention and detection of crime and maintenance of law and order is duty of the police. We keep on making efforts to fulfil this purpose. The Delhi Police conducts such activities to see to it that there is no threat to any significant personality," he added.

Bassi also said that it was important for the police to update information about the people who are more vulnerable to the Centre.

"We keep information about Amit Shah ji, Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi ji, etc as well. There is no motive of snooping nor was directed by the government," he added.

A Delhi Police team, led by additional deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Jatin Narwal, visited Gandhi's Tughlak Lane residence to gather information about the incident and the sequence of events.

The team checked the pictures of the policemen who came to Gandhi's house. It will give a report in this regard to the police chief.

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) appealed to the Congress not to politicise the issue.

"Rahul Gandhi is a SPG protectee, there is nothing wrong if he was visited by those who give him cover of protection", BJP leader Sambit Patra said.