New Delhi, October 6: The Delhi government has modified an order assigning the current duty charge of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police to Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivek Bhagat, after he asked that the assignment be kept on hold until a Crime Branch inquiry into allegations of harassment of women journalists is completed.
Bhagat, posted as Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Connaught Place, was among 12 Selection Grade officers of the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service (DANIPS) named in a Government of NCT of Delhi order dated October 5. Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu had approved the assignment of current duty charge of Additional DCP to the officers with immediate effect. The other officers named were Dr Vikas Sheokand, A. Venkatesh, Gursewak Singh, Renu Lata, Vidushi Kaushik, Manu Himanshu, Sakaria Mihir Pravinbhai, Garima Tiwari, Ashish Kumar, Manish Ladla and Rohit Gupta.
The government said late on Monday that the October 5 order was being modified in respect of Bhagat and would be reissued for the remaining 11 officers. In a post on X, it stated that Bhagat, “of his own volition, has requested not to avail the current duty charge assignment, till a full enquiry has been conducted in the matter of alleged harassment of women journalists and such enquiry has been satisfactorily concluded.”
It also clarified that the proposal to confer the additional duty charge had been initiated on August 25, “much before the present set of events,” and that the orders were issued after due approval on October 5. The administration further stated that the assignment is a temporary arrangement which confers no financial benefit, and that officers given current duty charge cannot exercise the statutory duties of the regular incumbents. It is not a regular promotion.
Letter to the Police Commissioner
In a letter dated October 5, issued from the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sub-Division Connaught Place, New Delhi District, Bhagat wrote to Commissioner of Police Anurag Kumar consenting to the order being kept on hold in his case alone.
“However, considering the enquiry pending against me in the Crime Branch, Delhi Police, regarding allegations against me by a YouTuber, I hereby give my consent to keep this order concerning only me on hold,” he wrote. He noted that the current duty charge had been approved through the order issued earlier that day.
The October 3 protest
The inquiry relates to complaints arising from a protest at Jantar Mantar on October 3. The All India Students’ Association and other organisations had gathered to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Neha Yadav said Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita had been imposed in the area. Protesters were warned to vacate the site and, on refusal, were detained. She said that around 6 pm, three women who identified themselves as journalists lodged complaints alleging manhandling by Delhi Police officers and staff during the detention. The complaints were registered, medical examinations were conducted, and the matter was referred to the Crime Branch for a fair and impartial inquiry. She also appealed to anyone with relevant footage to share it with the investigating agency.
One complainant, a woman content creator, alleged that Bhagat touched her inappropriately and pushed her while she was recording the detention of protester Neha Bora. Other accounts have described the allegation as groping. The allegation has not been independently established, and the inquiry is pending. Three women journalists have accused Delhi Police personnel of sexual harassment and manhandling during the protest. Inclusion of Bhagat in the October 5 order had drawn criticism from several quarters earlier in the day.
The revised order assigning current duty charge to the remaining 11 officers is to be issued shortly. Bhagat continues as SDPO, Connaught Place, while the Crime Branch inquiry proceeds.
