2 days later, no FIR over journalist’s ‘sexual harassment’

Two days after a female journalist alleged sexual harassment by ACP Vivek Bhagat at a protest near Jantar Mantar, police are yet to file an FIR in the matter, even as the journalist was detained and alleged she was attacked again on Monday by Delhi Police personnel

Two days after a female journalist alleged sexual harassment by ACP Vivek Bhagat at a protest near Jantar Mantar, police are yet to file an FIR in the matter, even as the journalist was detained and alleged she was attacked again on Monday by Delhi Police personnel.

The journalist’s complaint said the incident occurred during a protest on October 3 (HT)

On October 4,the Delhi Police said the journalist’s complaint, along with those of two other journalists who also alleged sexual harassment, was transferred to the Crime Branch for impartial enquiry. Police added that medical examinations for all three complainants have also been done.

However, alleging that no enquiry had been done, the complainant and a group of journalists and activists staged a day-long protest outside the Parliament Street police station on Sunday, demanding an FIR.

On Monday morning, she and several others were detained and later released.

Speaking to HT on Monday, the complainant claimed, “I have been trying to get an FIR filed for 48 hours but the Delhi Police is protecting the ACP, Vivek Bhagat. On Monday, I was dragged by my female police officials who pulled my hair and hurled abuses. They pinched me. There were also male police officials who pushed us. They took us to Delhi Cantt police station. We demanded a medical examination but it was delayed. No MLC was given and my friends and I didn’t even receive medical treatment…”

The journalist’s complaint, filed on October 3 after the alleged sexual harassment, stated that she was reporting the protest when All India Students’ Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora was being detained.

The complaint states, “I was making a video of a male officer taking a woman into custody when there was no female officer present. On hearing this, an officer, Vivek Bhagat, caught hold of my breast, pressed it and pushed me. When I told him again that how can you do this, he said go away. When I questioned him again, Vivek Bhagat ran away from there and asked the female police personnel to surround me. I have a video in which I question him for the second time; he runs away again but does not apologising. I want justice for the atrocities that have been committed against me…. He should apologise on camera and he should be punished” reads the complaint, seen by HT.

According to journalists and activists who protested with the complainant, she was detained and taken to Delhi Cantt police station. From there, they were all taken to Mandir Marg station and later released.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police said on Monday, “Some social media handles are claiming that female protesters were subjected to physical assault. These allegations are baseless and misleading. Female protesters are handled by female staff and are treated with dignity and due regard. Detentions and releases are carried out in accordance with the applicable law and prescribed procedures. Male protesters who were detained were released within the stipulated time period, following due process of law. Any claim suggesting otherwise is factually incorrect and does not reflect the actual sequence of events.”