A dispute between Delhi Police and three women journalists over an alleged incident of misconduct during a protest on October 3 has taken a fresh turn, with police registering a counter-FIR against the journalists. The protest was held at Boota Singh roundabout in New Delhi to demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The journalists had accused Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat of misbehaviour, physical assault and sexual harassment while they were covering the demonstration.
Counter-FIR Filed
According to The Indian Express, the FIR against the three journalists was registered following a complaint by ACP Vivek Bhagat. In his complaint, the officer alleged that one of the journalists made derogatory remarks about his caste and appointment while pointing towards his nameplate.
Bhagat stated that he belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. Based on his complaint, police registered a case against the three women under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, along with provisions relating to obstructing public servants in the discharge of their duties and criminal defamation.
The latest development comes after the journalists accused the police officer of misconduct during the handling of the protest.
Journalists’ Allegations
The women alleged that police personnel behaved inappropriately during the action against protesters. One of the journalists specifically accused ACP Bhagat of touching her inappropriately while she was reporting on the police operation.
Following their complaints, the journalists underwent medical examinations and their statements were recorded, according to police officials. The matter was subsequently transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch for an impartial investigation.
Police are also examining CCTV footage from the protest site to establish the sequence of events and verify the allegations made by both sides.
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Probe Transferred
Deputy Commissioner of Police Neha Yadav said Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was in force in the New Delhi area. The provision restricts assemblies of five or more people and protests without the requisite permission.
She said protesters had repeatedly been asked to disperse but police intervened after they refused to comply with the instructions.
According to Yadav, three women who identified themselves as journalists later filed complaints alleging physical assault by police officers during their detention. Their medical examinations were conducted before the case was transferred to the Crime Branch.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
