Delhi Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat, recently accused of sexual assault by a woman scribe, today hit back with a counter-complaint alleging casteist slurs by the same girl, with the Delhi Police registering an FIR in the matter.
ACP Bhagat, who was in the eye of a storm amid October 10 Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in Delhi, had to forgo his elevation to the next duty in the wake of the controversy. Bhagat, although assigned a higher change of duty, himself requested the Delhi Government to withhold his elevation till the probe against him was pending.
The Delhi Police today registered the FIR against an independent journalist and others after Bhagat alleged casteist remarks, public humiliation and defamation during a protest near Jantar Mantar earlier this month, officials said on Wednesday.
The FIR was registered at the Parliament Street police station under relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Sections 221 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 356(2) (defamation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on the complaint by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat, posted in the Connaught Place sub-division of New Delhi district.
Earlier, the independent journalist had alleged sexual assault charges against the ACP. Her complaint is being investigated by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police.
According to the FIR, Bhagat was performing law-and-order duty at Jantar Mantar on October 3 when he allegedly overheard the journalist making derogatory remarks about his Megh/Mehgwal caste in public view near the Buta Singh roundabout and questioning his appointment as an ACP.
In his complaint, Bhagat stated that he belongs to the Scheduled Caste community and alleged that he and his operator, Constable Ravi Dahiya, heard the journalist refer to his nameplate and caste identity before making the remarks. The complainant alleged that he ignored the remarks and continued performing his official duties.
However, around 3 pm, the journalist allegedly accused him of sexual assault during the handling and detention of protesters and, along with her colleagues, repeatedly confronted him, thereby obstructing his official work.
The FIR further alleges that the independent journalist and others staged a protest outside the Parliament Street police station later that evening, raised slogans against the ACP.
Bhagat also alleged that posts and reels containing similar accusations were circulated on X and Instagram by her and certain members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), including Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Ratna Singh.
The ACP claimed that the caste-related remarks, public accusations and social media posts caused him mental distress and damaged his reputation.
The FIR also mentions that the journalist’s separate complaint alleging sexual assault by the ACP had been transferred to the Crime Branch and was under investigation.
