New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined an urgent hearing to an independent female journalist seeking protection from coercive action in a case registered on a complaint by a Delhi Police officer who accused her of making casteist remarks and publicly humiliating him during a protest near Jantar Mantar earlier this month. The court agreed to hear the matter on Friday.
The development comes after the journalist filed a sexual assault complaint against Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivek Bhagat, which is being investigated by the Delhi Police Crime Branch.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma agreed to list the matter for hearing on Friday after the journalist's counsel sought an urgent hearing.
Mentioning the matter, the counsel said the case against the journalist was registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act following her sexual assault complaint against the police officer.
"My interim prayer is for protection (from coercive action). That is why I request for a hearing today. There is a strong apprehension," the counsel said.
"Tomorrow," the bench responded.
Delhi Police registered an FIR against the journalist and others on a complaint filed by Bhagat, who is posted at the Connaught Place sub-division of New Delhi district. He alleged that casteist remarks, public humiliation and defamation were directed at him during the protest.
The FIR invokes relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Sections 221 (obstructing a public servant from discharging duty), 356(2) (defamation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the FIR, Bhagat was performing law and order duty near the Buta Singh roundabout, close to Jantar Mantar, on October 3 when he allegedly overheard the journalist making derogatory remarks about his Megh/Meghwal caste in public and questioning his appointment as an ACP.
The complainant alleged that he ignored the remarks and continued performing his official duties.
However, around 3 pm, the journalist allegedly accused him of sexual assault during the handling and detention of protesters and repeatedly confronted him, along with her colleagues, thereby obstructing his official work.
Bhagat also alleged that the journalist and some members of the Cockroach Janta Party, including Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Ratna Singh, circulated posts and reels on social media platforms X and Instagram, accusing him.