Protests were held outside Parliament Street Police Station after a woman journalist accused Delhi Police of molestation. Political leaders, including from CJP and CPI(M), demanded an FIR, accusing police of inaction and shielding their officer.
Das, who was protesting outside the police station along with CJP legal team lead Ratna Singh, the complainant and her lawyers, questioned the police for not meeting the protesters and said they had been waiting for a response. “The complainant, the victim, is here, along with her lawyers and the rest of us. Why won’t they speak to us? We have given them two or three minutes; otherwise, we are going to storm inside,” Das said while addressing the protesters at the site.
CJP Demands FIR, Accuses Police of Shielding Officer
Das said he and Ratna Singh had come to the Parliament Street Police Station to support the victim and alleged that the Delhi Police was not cooperating with her. “Today, on behalf of the ‘Cockroach Janata Party,’ Ratna Singh and I have come to the Parliament Street Police Station to support the victim. As you know, the entire nation is witnessing the brutality with which the Delhi Police is detaining, assaulting, and manhandling the country’s youth who are protesting here. The Delhi Police should be ashamed of their attitude—especially after the brutality seen on July 20th; this is how they are behaving,” he said.
“I would say that the victim is demanding the registration of an FIR. There is a very clear procedure under Supreme Court law: when a woman—or anyone—comes forward to report a serious offense, it is the police’s automatic duty to lodge an FIR. However, as you can see here at the Parliament Street Police Station, the Delhi Police is not cooperating with the victim at all; there is absolutely no cooperation,” Das added.
He alleged that the police were “shielding and protecting” ACP Vivek Bhagat and said the victim had made serious allegations of molestation and sexual assault. “…and they are shielding and protecting their own ACP, Vivek Bhagat. The victim has made very serious allegations regarding molestation and sexual assault. The bare minimum requirement is the registration of an FIR, yet the Delhi Police is refusing to do so,” Das said.
“Consequently, the victim has decided to join the march from India Gate, an event to which their leaders have also invited them and will participate in that march to demand justice. The ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ fully supports this cause. Such brutality against the country’s youth is completely unacceptable to us. Action must be taken against such police personnel—these monsters in uniform. We demand that this action be taken—and taken very soon. We will raise this demand, as will other organizations that are marching like this,” he added. “We stand with the victim,” Das added.
CJP legal team lead Ratna Singh said the woman journalist had alleged that she was molested and assaulted by a police official and claimed that the police had failed to register an FIR despite being given time to examine CCTV footage. “The victim alleged that she has been molested and assaulted by the police official. We were at the police station until 1:30 AM last night. Even then, we were just given a timeframe. They had asked for time, and we had given the police until 12:00 PM today to check the CCTV footage and register an FIR. That deadline has passed—it is now 3:30 PM—yet no FIR has been filed, there is no officer inside, and no one is listening to us,” Singh said.
“We have decided that, given the lack of a hearing, we will march and present our case,” she added.
CPI(M) Leader Accuses Police of Shielding Harasser
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, who also joined the protest, accused the police of shielding the officer against whom the allegations were made. “Look, the march from India Gate is about to begin. The issue here is that this police station seems to have only one function today: protecting a sexual harasser. They are shielding a sexual harasser. We fought for years to enact laws—laws mandating that an FIR must be registered upon any woman’s complaint. In this case, they are subverting that entire legal framework,” Karat said.
“And they are trying to shield the ACP. I appeal to all the women of Delhi; they are tearing apart the struggles we endured and burying our efforts,” she added.
Karat questioned the police over their alleged demand for video evidence before registering the FIR. “If a girl files a complaint, why isn’t an FIR being registered? What is the police saying now? ‘Show us the video.’ Is the girl supposed to carry a camera and show footage proving, ‘Look, he touched my breast’?” she said.
“Shameless police—why did we even enact laws in this country?” Karat added. “What was our struggle for? They are asking this girl, ‘Show us the video! Did the ACP touch your breast? Show us the video!’ These scoundrels should be ashamed! And Amit Shah, you should be ashamed! You are creating new protocols just to harass a girl! This is an affront to the entire journalistic community!” she added.
“And it is an affront to all women. And what is the court doing? The court cannot see for itself what is happening. They are stalling while we sit here; we have been asking them to arrange a meeting with a senior official, but they keep making excuses—claiming that no one is present today because everyone is out on duty. Yet, there is no one available to perform the specific task of lodging an FIR. That is why the victim is forced to stage a march today,” Karat said.
Delhi Police Transfers Case to Crime Branch
Meanwhile, Delhi Police said complaints by three women journalists alleging sexual harassment by police officers during the October 3 protest had been transferred to the Crime Branch for a “fair and impartial enquiry.”
In a post on X, Delhi Police said, “On 03-10-26, during the protest in the New Delhi area, while being in law and order situation, allegations of sexual harassment were made by three female journalists against police officers. New Delhi District has received their complaints and the same are transferred to Crime Branch for fair and impartial enquiry.” On 03-10-26, during the protest in New Delhi area, while being in law and order situation, allegations of sexual harassment were made by three female journalists against police officers. New Delhi District has received their complaints and the same are transferred to Crime Branch for fair and impartial enquiry. @PTI_News @ANI #DPUpdates — Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) October 4, 2026
Speaking to ANI on sexual harassment complaints by three women against police personnel at Jantar Mantar, DCP Neha Yadav said the complaints had been registered, medical examinations conducted and the matter referred to the Crime Branch. “Despite the imposition of Section 163 of the BNSS in the area, AISA and other parties staged a protest on October 3rd against the SIR. Protesters were warned to vacate the site, citing Section 163 of the BNSS; upon their refusal to comply, they were detained. Around 6 PM, three women, who identified themselves as journalists, lodged a complaint alleging manhandling by Delhi Police officers and staff during their detention. Their complaint has been registered, medical examinations have been conducted, and the matter has been referred to the Crime Branch. We request anyone possessing relevant footage to share it with the Crime Branch,” Yadav said.
AAP Joins Protest, Alleges Manhandling
The allegations came amid protests by opposition parties against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Aam Aadmi Party also held a protest march from its office towards India Gate, during which several AAP leaders were detained by police.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj further alleged that police personnel manhandled him during the detention. “They are picking me up and tossing me around as if I were a football. The police are hauling me away—feet up, head down. You all witnessed how rudely they are behaving. There is such a massive police force present, yet they refuse to register an FIR against their own ACP; they aren’t arresting the ACP—even while people are standing here fighting for the girl’s rights,” he said.
“They are standing there peacefully, yet these people are behaving so rudely towards them. What do these people think of the common man? If this is how they treat politicians and journalists, just imagine how they must treat the general public. This government must go, and I urge everyone to come to India Gate and make their voices heard. That thief! That thief! That thief!” he added.
Another AAP leader alleged that the protest would continue until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was removed. “They have surreptitiously formed a BJP government and snatched away the people’s voting rights; therefore, our protest will continue until a traitor like Gyanesh Kumar is removed. On one side is the government’s tyranny, and on the other, our struggle. People had come to march at Jantar Mantar. However, the police force is trying to shield traitors like Gyanesh Kumar. Gyanesh Kumar has betrayed this country; he surreptitiously orchestrated the formation of the BJP government,” the leader said.
Another AAP leader alleged that protesters were beaten and their clothes torn. “They tore our clothes. They are BJP’s agents. They are BJP’s goons. They beat us up. They tore our clothes. Those in power are beating us—brutally assaulting us. Your dictatorship has gone too far. They are thieves!” the leader said.
One protester said the demonstrations would continue until Gyanesh Kumar resigned. “Look, this protest will continue until Gyanesh Kumar resigns. Today, our protest is moving from India Gate to Jantar Mantar. And we will continue to march from India Gate to Jantar Mantar like this every day until traitors like Gyanesh Kumar resign. Jai Bhim!” the protester said.
Rahul Gandhi Questions Home Minister Over Police Misconduct
Earlier today, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also accused Delhi Police of misconduct at Jantar Mantar, alleging that a female journalist was subjected to misbehaviour by a police office. “A female journalist has accused a police officer of misconduct at Jantar Mantar. For hours, hundreds of journalists have been sitting there with just one demand: that an FIR be registered. Isn’t that the police’s basic duty? They haven’t even done that,” Gandhi said in a post on X.
He alleged that hundreds of people were taken into custody at Jantar Mantar and that there were allegations of misconduct with women protesters. “Today itself, hundreds of people were taken into custody at Jantar Mantar. There are allegations of misconduct with women protesters. Cameras were snatched, journalists were dragged. And this isn’t the first time — we’ve seen video evidence before of police officers engaging in disgusting misconduct with women,” he said.
Gandhi said women across Delhi and students were gripped by fear for their safety and were staging satyagraha, while the police responsible for protecting women were raising hands against them. “Women across Delhi, students, are gripped by fear for their safety, staging satyagraha — but the very police responsible for protecting women are raising hands against them. And a government that fears registering even one woman’s complaint — what exactly is it protecting?” he said.
Questioning the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Gandhi said, “Delhi Police comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Amit Shah ji, where are you? You have to answer for this.” (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)