Delhi protest: Journalists slapped with SC/ST Act for casteist slur against ACP on duty
NEW DELHI: An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Delhi has accused a woman journalist and two others of making casteist remarks against him, publicly humiliating him and obstructing his official duties during a protest in the national capital on October 3.The FIR was registered on October 13 at Parliament Street Police Station on the complaint of ACP Vivek Bhagat, who is posted in the Connaught Place subdivision. Journalist Rosy, Gajendra Singh, who is associated with a news portal, and an unidentified person have been named as accused.The case has been registered under Sections 221, 356(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.Bhagat has been at the centre of allegations of harassment of women protesters during the recent agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Those allegations are being investigated by the Crime Branch.
What the ACP alleged
According to Bhagat’s complaint, the incident took place at Buta Singh Roundabout on October 3, when police personnel were deployed to manage a protest called by Neha Bora and others against the Election Commission of India (ECI).The ACP said the protesters gathered around 2.30 pm and tried to march towards Jantar Mantar. Police personnel announced that restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were in force and asked the protesters to disperse. When they allegedly refused to leave, the police began detaining them.
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Bhagat, who belongs to the Megh/Meghwal Scheduled Caste community, alleged that Rosy made derogatory remarks about his caste after referring to his nameplate. He claimed the remarks were made in the presence of her colleague Gajendra Singh and others.The ACP further alleged that around 3 pm, while he was helping a bus carrying detainees move, Rosy accused him of sexually assaulting her. He claimed that she and her colleagues repeatedly confronted him, questioned his conduct and obstructed him from carrying out his official responsibilities.According to the complaint, Rosy, Singh and others later gathered outside Parliament Street Police Station at around 6.15 pm and staged a protest against him. Bhagat alleged that they raised slogans and portrayed him as a sexual predator and a potential rapist.He also claimed that posts and reels targeting him were subsequently circulated on X and Instagram by the accused and others, including members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP).
