On Oct 5 the Delhi Police issued an order that temporarily elevated 12 officers, including ACP Vivek Bhagat, to Additional Deputy Commissioner roles. The directive, signed by senior officials, bars them from exercising statutory powers and withholding additional pay, and will lapse once the Ministry of Home Affairs appoints permanent incumbents.
The promotion follows an allegation that Bhagat sexually assaulted a woman during the Oct 3 protest at Jantar Mantar, where demonstrators demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged manipulation of electoral rolls. A journalist who approached him after noticing the absence of female officers claimed Bhagat pushed her backward and assaulted her.
Delhi Police called the accusations "baseless and misleading", asserting that female protesters were handled by female staff with dignity and that any male detainees were released within the prescribed time. The statement also said that the police had no reason to believe otherwise.
The three complaints have been transferred to the Crime Branch, which will conduct the investigation. The temporary promotion will not affect Bhagat's seniority or future pay, and it can be revoked without explanation.
For the journalists, the incident has cast a shadow over the protest, with one reporting fearing retaliation if the case is not taken seriously. The next development will be the Crime Branch hearing scheduled for early November.