Full Breakdown
ACP Vivek Bhagat Files FIR Against Journalist Over Alleged Casteist Remarks
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivek Bhagat, ACP of the Connaught Place subdivision, lodged a complaint that led to a First Information Report (FIR) at Parliament Street police station on October 13. The FIR, filed under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Sections 221, 356(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), accuses journalist “Rosy”, journalist Gajendra Singh of News Diggy, and an unnamed person of caste-based humiliation, intimidation and obstruction of Bhagat’s duties during a protest on October 3.
Background & Context
The incident occurred during a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar. Demonstrators gathered near the Buta Singh Roundabout around 2:30 p.m. and were asked to disperse under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Bhagat alleges the journalist referenced his Megh/Mehgwal caste, questioned his appointment, and later accused him of sexual assault, obstructing his duty. That evening the journalist and others staged a protest outside Parliament Street police station, labeling Bhagat a “sexual predator”.
Separately, the journalist filed a sexual-harassment complaint against Bhagat on October 3. The complaint was transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch; no FIR has been registered on it.
Official Statements & Responses
- Bhagat called the journalist’s harassment allegation “malicious” and said the FIR was filed under the SC/ST Act and BNS provisions.
- Police: Additional DCP Manjeet Sheoran said the arrested resident used AI tools to create a fake CCTV clip of Bhagat. No FIR has been filed against Bhagat for the journalist’s allegation.
- Supreme Court: The bench directed that “no coercive action be taken against the journalist.”
- Senior advocate Indira Jaising warned that AI-generated videos complicate verification.
- Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said there is no national protocol for such cases and reiterated the court’s stance against coercive action.
Criticism & Opposition
Press bodies and opposition leaders have questioned the handling of both complaints. On October 7, five press organisations, including the Indian Women’s Press Corps and the Press Club of India, called for an FIR against Bhagat for the harassment allegation. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the police for “delaying” an FIR on the journalist’s complaint and urged swift action. The Press Club of India described the situation as “shock and dismay” over alleged intimidation of journalists.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Journalist’s harassment complaint: Transferred to the Crime Branch for an “impartial inquiry,” but no FIR filed (The Print, The Hindu, NDTV).
- AI-generated video claim: Police allege fabrication using AI tools; senior advocate Jaising highlighted verification challenges. No forensic report released.
- Promotion timeline: Delhi government says the promotion order was initiated before the allegations (August 25) and held after Bhagat’s request (October 5); exact hold date varies across reports.
What’s Next
The Supreme Court has ordered no coercive action against the journalist and invited submissions on forming an independent committee to investigate. The Delhi High Court has declined an urgent hearing on the journalist’s plea for interim protection, scheduling it after the court’s vacation. The Crime Branch continues its inquiry into the journalist’s sexual-harassment complaint, and the police investigation into the AI-fabricated video remains ongoing.