New Delhi: Protests were held outside the Parliament Street Police Station on Sunday after a woman journalist allegedly accused Delhi Police personnel of molestation and sexual assault during a protest. Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) Chief Spokesperson Saurav Das demanded registration of an FIR in the case.
Das, who was protesting outside the police station along with CJP legal team lead Ratna Singh, the complainant and her lawyers, questioned the police for not meeting the protesters and said they had been waiting for a response.
“The complainant, the victim, is here, along with her lawyers and the rest of us. Why won’t they speak to us? We have given them two or three minutes; otherwise, we are going to storm inside,” Das said.
CJP Backs Victim
Das said he and Ratna Singh had come to the Parliament Street Police Station to support the victim and alleged that the Delhi Police was not cooperating with her.
He alleged that the police were “shielding and protecting” ACP Vivek Bhagat and said the victim had made serious allegations of molestation and sexual assault.
“The bare minimum requirement is the registration of an FIR, yet the Delhi Police is refusing to do so,” Das said. He added that the victim had decided to join the march from India Gate to demand justice and said, “We stand with the victim.”
CJP legal team lead Ratna Singh said the woman journalist had alleged that she was molested and assaulted by a police official and claimed that the police had failed to register an FIR despite being given time to examine CCTV footage.
She said they had been at the police station until 1:30 AM and that police had been given until 12:00 PM to check the CCTV footage and register an FIR.
“That deadline has passed—it is now 3:30 PM—yet no FIR has been filed, there is no officer inside, and no one is listening to us,” Singh said.
“We have decided that, given the lack of a hearing, we will march and present our case,” she added.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, who also joined the protest, accused the police of shielding the officer against whom the allegations were made.
Karat questioned the police over their alleged demand for video evidence before registering the FIR and said the issue was an affront to the journalistic community and all women.
She also said the victim was being forced to stage a march due to the lack of a hearing.
Delhi Police Transfers Complaints
Delhi Police said complaints by three women journalists alleging sexual harassment by police officers during the October 3 protest had been transferred to the Crime Branch for a “fair and impartial enquiry.”
In a post on X, Delhi Police said allegations of sexual harassment were made by three female journalists against police officers and that the New Delhi District had received their complaints and transferred them to the Crime Branch.
Speaking to ANI, DCP Neha Yadav said the complaints had been registered, medical examinations conducted and the matter referred to the Crime Branch.
She said AISA and other parties staged a protest on October 3 against the SIR despite the imposition of Section 163 of the BNSS. Protesters were warned to vacate the site and were detained after refusing to comply.
Yadav said three women who identified themselves as journalists lodged complaints around 6 PM alleging manhandling by Delhi Police officers and staff during their detention.
AAP Leaders Detained
The allegations came amid protests by opposition parties against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Aam Aadmi Party also held a protest march from its office towards India Gate, during which several AAP leaders were detained by police.
AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that police personnel manhandled him during the detention.
“They are picking me up and tossing me around as if I were a football,” Bharadwaj said, alleging that police refused to register an FIR against their own ACP.
Protest To Continue Over Gyanesh Kumar
Another AAP leader alleged that the protest would continue until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was removed. Another AAP leader alleged that protesters were beaten and their clothes torn.
One protester said the demonstrations would continue until Gyanesh Kumar resigned, adding that the protest was moving from India Gate to Jantar Mantar.
Rahul Gandhi Questions Amit Shah
Earlier, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also accused Delhi Police of misconduct at Jantar Mantar, alleging that a female journalist was subjected to misbehaviour by a police officer.
“A female journalist has accused a police officer of misconduct at Jantar Mantar. For hours, hundreds of journalists have been sitting there with just one demand: that an FIR be registered. Isn’t that the police’s basic duty? They haven’t even done that,” Gandhi said.
He alleged that hundreds of people were taken into custody at Jantar Mantar and that there were allegations of misconduct with women protesters.
Gandhi also said women across Delhi and students were staging satyagraha over safety concerns and questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Delhi Police comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Amit Shah ji, where are you? You have to answer for this,” Gandhi said.
5,000 Cops Deployed
The Delhi Police has deployed around 5,000 personnel, including those from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and other paramilitary forces, in the Capital ahead of two protest marches against the Election Commission on Sunday.
It said no permission has been given for the marches from India Gate to Jantar Mantar, but expects a large turnout as the protests enter a third straight day.
Two marches against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar have been announced for Sunday — a Citizens’ March from India Gate to Jantar Mantar at 3pm and an Indian Youth Congress march on the same route at 5pm.
Multi-layered barricading has been put in place on routes leading to Jantar Mantar, with police blocking access from Tolstoy Marg, Janpath Road, Sansad Marg and the Kerala Bhawan side. Barricades have also been installed near Ashoka Road and C-Hexagon.
