Published Oct 04, 2026 | 4:12 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 04, 2026 | 4:12 PM
The Delhi Police said that it had received complaints from three women journalists alleging sexual harassment by police personnel.
Synopsis: CPI(M) leader and activist Brinda Karat has demanded the immediate arrest of ACP Vivek Bhagat and registration of an FIR against him for alleged sexual assault of a woman journalist covering the Jantar Mantar protest in Delhi on Saturday. The Delhi Police said three women journalists had complained of sexual harassment by police personnel, undergone medical examinations and had their complaints transferred to the Crime Branch.
CPI(M) leader and activist Brinda Karat on Sunday, 4 October, demanded the immediate arrest of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat and registration of an FIR against him for alleged sexual assault of a woman journalist covering the Jantar Mantar protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi.
The Delhi Police said that it had received complaints from three women journalists alleging sexual harassment by police personnel during the 3 October protests.
It said the complainants had undergone medical examinations and that the complaints had been transferred to the Crime Branch for a “fair and impartial enquiry”.
One of the journalists alleged that ACP Bhagat shoved her and sexually assaulted her while she was recording the detention of All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora on Saturday.
🚨UPDATE: A delegation with the victim is inside the Police Station now.
I am joined by @whattalawyer, Brinda Karat, @aishe_ghosh and @rishav_ranjan18. We have asked a senior officer to be present for the meeting.
— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) October 4, 2026
She said she waited for well over three and a half hours at the Parliament Street police station to get an FIR registered.
“I have now come to this police station to have an FIR registered regarding this incident, but it has already been three and a half hours, and my FIR is still not being registered. I am only being given one time after another, but no action is being taken,” she said in a video on X.
A New Delhi police official told The Hindu that no case had been registered so far due to lack of evidence and alleged that the complaints were meant to target the police.
“There were so many camera persons. There should be some proof of the incident if it happened,” the official said.
Karat visited the Parliament Street police station as a large number of protesters, journalists, activists and student groups arrived at the station.
She asked why the Delhi Police had transferred the complaints to the Crime Branch, said that the alleged offence was cognisable and required registration of an FIR. She said the protest would continue until an FIR was registered.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Dass alleged in a post that the police were unwilling to even meet the complainant.
“We are outside the Parliament Street Police Station. The Police is unwilling to meet the victim who has been molested by ACP Vivek Bhagat. This is unacceptable! We will continue to stand here until they let us in!”
(Edited by Dese Gowda with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman)
