Delhi Police book journalists under SC/ST Act following officer's complaint

Delhi Police have registered a first information report under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act against multiple journalists and individuals following a complaint by an assistant commissioner of police. The case adds a complex legal dimension to ongoing demonstrations in the national capital.

The FIR was formally lodged at the Parliament Street Police Station on October 13 on the complaint of Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivek Bhagat. The officer, who is posted in the Connaught Place subdivision, alleged that he was subjected to caste-based humiliation, public defamation, and obstruction of duty during a public protest earlier in the month.

According to details in the police complaint, the incident occurred on October 3 near the Buta Singh roundabout during a demonstration near Jantar Mantar. Assistant Commissioner Bhagat stated that he was deployed for law and order duties when an independent journalist and other individuals made derogatory remarks regarding his Megh or Mehgwal caste, while questioning his official appointment.

The police complaint further claims that the confrontation escalated later in the afternoon when protesters and journalists surrounded the officer, obstructed his official functions, and subsequently staged an overnight protest outside the Parliament Street police station. The FIR incorporates sections dealing with obstruction of public servants, criminal defamation, common intention, and provisions of the SC/ST Act.

This legal action follows earlier counter-allegations stemming from the same demonstration. A woman journalist had previously lodged a complaint accusing Assistant Commissioner Bhagat of sexual harassment and inappropriate physical conduct while police forces were managing the crowd. That specific complaint has been transferred to the Crime Branch of Delhi Police for an independent inquiry.

Senior police officials confirmed that multiple testimonies and electronic evidence, including CCTV footage from the protest site near Jantar Mantar, are currently being reviewed by investigators. The Crime Branch inquiry into the sexual harassment allegations remains ongoing alongside the newly registered counter-case, with no final conclusions reached by authorities as the legal proceedings move forward.