Sexual Harassment of Journalist; Delhi ACP’s Promotion Withheld, No Other Action Taken by Govt

New Delhi: The promotion of a police officer accused of sexually assaulting a woman journalist while she was reporting on protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has been frozen. The move comes amid growing controversy after the journalist, who alleged that she was sexually assaulted, was jailed. The promotion order issued late on Monday night was urgently put on hold.

While the journalist was in detention, Delhi Lieutenant Governor had promoted Assistant Commissioner Vivek Bhagat to the post of Additional DCP. The decision drew widespread criticism, following which the promotion order was frozen.

The Delhi Lieutenant Governor's office justified the move by saying that Vivek Bhagat had requested that the promotion order be kept in abeyance until the investigation was completed.

Seventeen independent journalists who were protesting alongside the female journalist, demanding that an FIR be registered against Vivek Bhagat, were also taken into custody. They were detained on Monday morning, hours before a press conference was scheduled against Bhagat, and were released late at night.

Those detained had staged a sit-in protest outside the Parliament Street police station on Saturday and Sunday.