Delhi Cop Accused of Sexual Harassment of Journalist Promoted to Additional DCP
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A massive political and public row has erupted in New Delhi after Delhi Police Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat was elevated to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Addl DCP), even as he faces serious allegations of sexually assaulting a female journalist during a recent demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
The promotion, issued as part of an administrative order assigning current duty charge to 12 DANIPS officers, has drawn sharp condemnation from media bodies and political leaders. Opposition figures questioned whether the administration was "rewarding misconduct", while senior police officials initially maintained that the promotion was a routine process initiated long before the incident. However, following intense pushback, government sources confirmed that the promotion order is being modified after Bhagat voluntarily requested to step aside from taking up the additional charge pending an ongoing inquiry.
Allegations at Jantar Mantar Anti-CEC Demonstration
The controversy stems from events on October 3, 2026, during a high-profile protest organised near Jantar Mantar against the Election Commission of India over electoral roll revisions.
According to complaints submitted by female journalists covering the event, police personnel allegedly manhandled and physically assaulted reporters. One journalist explicitly named ACP Vivek Bhagat in her complaint, alleging that when she questioned him about the absence of female police personnel while women protesters were being detained, he physically assaulted and pushed her back.
At least three women journalists lodged formal complaints detailing sexual harassment and physical intimidation by police officers at the spot. The Delhi Police subsequently transferred the complaints to the Crime Branch for an inquiry.
Political Backlash and Press Club Demands FIR
The news of the promotion sparked immediate political backlash. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the Delhi Police and Union Home Ministry, questioning why an FIR had not been registered despite explicit complaints from journalists.
"A female journalist has accused a police officer of misconduct at Jantar Mantar," Rahul Gandhi posted on X. "For hours, hundreds of journalists have been sitting there with just one demand: that an FIR be registered. Isn't that the police's basic duty?"
The Press Club of India expressed deep shock and dismay over the incident, emphasising that journalists must be allowed to perform their duties without aggression or intimidation. Several independent journalists held sit-in demonstrations outside Parliament Street police station, demanding immediate legal action against the accused officers.
Police Response and Voluntary Step-Aside
Addressing the backlash over the promotion, senior Delhi Police officials clarified that the current duty charge assignment was an administrative decision that had been processed well before the protest took place.
In a statement, the Delhi Police rejected claims of systemic misconduct during the protest as "baseless and misleading," asserting that female protesters were handled by female personnel strictly following legal protocols.
However, as public outcry mounted, ACP Vivek Bhagat voluntarily requested not to take up the additional charge until the Crime Branch inquiry concludes. The Delhi government confirmed that the administrative order would be reissued for the remaining 11 officers, leaving Bhagat's assignment on hold.
