Delhi government withholds current charge of additional DCP granted to officer accused of sexually harassing journalist

Media persons and protesters are seen sitting outside the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi on October 5, 2026. | Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

The current charge of charge (CDC) of the post of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police against Assistant Commissioner (AKT) Vivek Bhagat – accused of sexually harassing a journalist during a protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi – has been denied, the Delhi government announced on Monday (October 5, 2026).

A Delhi government order earlier in the day had allotted CDC additional DCPs to 12 DANIPS officers including Mr. Bhagat.

Later, the Delhi government clarified that the October 5 order allotting the current Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police duty to 12 DANIPS officers was based on a proposal initiated on August 25, well before the current allegations.

The order of the Government of NCT of Delhi dated 5th October, 2026 in which the present duty of the post of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police has been assigned to 12 DANIPS officers is modified with respect to Shri Vivek Bhagat, ACP. A proposal to grant additional duty to these officers was initiated on August 25, well before the current series of events. The orders were issued after due approval on October 5, 2026. As stated in the order, the assignment of current service charge is a temporary arrangement that does not confer any financial benefits and no statutory duties of regular service holders can be performed by officers assigned current service charge. However, Shri Vivek Bhagat, ACP, on his own volition requested not to avail the current duty allocation until a full investigation into the alleged harassment of women journalists is conducted and satisfactorily concluded. Accordingly, the order dated October 5, 2026, as noted above, is modified and will be reissued with respect to the assignment of current duty to the eleven remaining officers.

— Government of Delhi (@DelhiGovDigital) October 5, 2026

The order stated that the assignment was a temporary arrangement that did not provide any financial benefit and did not confer the legal powers of the proper holder. According to the Delhi government, ACP Vivek Bhagat subsequently asked not to be given the current charge until a full investigation into allegations of harassment of women journalists is completed.

The warrant is being modified accordingly, with charges being assigned to the remaining 11 officers.

Earlier in the day, ACP Bhagat — accused of sexually harassing a journalist during the October 3 protest at Jantar Mantar — was given the rank of additional DCP, sparking a sharp reaction from various quarters.

Three women journalists have accused Delhi Police officers of sexual harassment during a protest on October 3 against alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Delhi Police received the complaints and handed them over to the crime branch for further investigation.

(With PTI inputs)

Published – October 6, 2026 0:56 AM IST