In a late-night post on Monday, the Delhi government announced that the current duty charge of the post of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police assigned to Assistant Commissioner Vivek Bhagat, who is accused of sexually harassing a woman journalist during a protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi, has been withheld.
The Delhi government had earlier, in its order, assigned the CDCF Additional DCP charge to 12 DANIPS officers, including Bhagat. The proposal to allot additional duty charges to these officers was initiated way before the incident took place on October 3.
Taking to X, officials posted, “The proposal to confer additional duty charge to these officers was initiated on August 25, much before the present set of events.”
The fresh orders were issued after due approval on October 5.
It further clarified that the assignment of CDC is a temporary arrangement which confers no financial benefit, and statutory duties of the regular incumbents can be exercised by officers to whom CDC has been assigned.
However, ACP Vivek Bhagat, “of his own volition, has requested not to avail the current duty charge assignment, till a full enquiry has been conducted in the matter of alleged harassment of women journalists and such enquiry has been satisfactorily concluded,” the post read.
The order, as per the current situation, will be modified and reissued with respect to the assignment of CDC to the 11 remaining officers, officials added.
The statement came in the backdrop of the recent assignment to ACP Bhagat, who is accused of sexually harassing a woman journalist at a protest at Jantar Mantar, which drew sharp reactions from various quarters.
Three women journalists accused Delhi Police officers of sexual harassment during the October 3 protests against alleged irregularities in the functioning of the CEC and the SIR of electoral rolls. The Delhi Police has received the complaints, and they are being evaluated by the Crime Branch for further inquiry.