The woman journalist who accused Delhi Police Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivek Bhagat of sexual harassment and manhandling during a protest was questioned by the Crime Branch on Thursday, nearly a week after she filed a complaint. No FIR has been registered against the officer in connection with the allegations so far.
The questioning took place at the Crime Branch office in Prashant Vihar, Delhi. The journalist’s lawyer, a Supreme Court advocate, alleged that investigators’ approach made the complainant feel as though she was being treated as an accused rather than a victim. “The way the interrogation happened, it was like she was the accused. They started profiling the victim,” he said.
The journalist was given a 25-point questionnaire about the October 3 incident at Jantar Mantar. The questions included whether she knew Mr. Bhagat before the incident, whether she had encountered him earlier, whether the officer was attempting to detain other people and other aspects of his conduct during the protest.
According to her lawyer, investigators also asked about her family and professional background, including how long she had worked with the media organisation with which she was associated. He alleged that the questioning focused on her background and appeared to be aimed at establishing the credibility of the police officer. The lawyer said such detailed questionnaires were generally used for accused persons rather than complainants.
The Crime Branch also sought a video recording held by the journalist and her legal team. The complainant told investigators that the footage would be submitted after an FIR was registered. Her lawyers have separately asked the police to secure CCTV footage from a 500-metre radius around the alleged incident site, near a Mother Dairy booth on Janpath Lane. They have also requested preservation of body-worn-camera footage from all police personnel deployed within that area.
The lawyer questioned why the complaint, initially submitted at Parliament Street police station, was being investigated at the Crime Branch office in Prashant Vihar. He also questioned why counselling had not been provided to the complainant.
The allegations relate to a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 3. The journalist alleged that Mr. Bhagat sexually harassed and shoved her while she was recording the detention of All India Students’ Association president Neha Bora. Delhi Police said on October 4 that it had received three complaints concerning the allegations and transferred them to the Crime Branch for inquiry.
The matter has also drawn the attention of the National Human Rights Commission. The NHRC took suo motu cognisance on Thursday of a news report stating that three women journalists were allegedly sexually harassed by city police personnel at Jantar Mantar on October 3. It issued a notice to the Delhi Police Commissioner seeking a detailed report within two weeks.
The journalist was detained twice after the alleged incident—on October 4 during the protest and on October 5 while demonstrating at Parliament Street police station to demand registration of a case against the officer. An FIR was registered against her and 16 other protesters under provisions including assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging duty, vandalism and illegal gathering. The NHRC’s notice and the Delhi Police inquiry are now the next formal steps disclosed in the matter.
