Delhi Police Detain 17 After Overnight Standoff Over Women Journalists’ Complaints

NEW DELHI: A demand for action over alleged sexual misconduct involving three women journalists turned into a fresh confrontation with Delhi Police on Monday, when 17 people were taken into custody after spending the night outside the Parliament Street police station.

The protesters had gathered there seeking registration of an FIR and action against police personnel named in complaints filed by the journalists following the October 3 protest near Jantar Mantar.

Among those detained was one of the women who had made the allegations.

The group included freelance journalists and YouTubers. Police moved the detainees in a bus to Delhi Cantonment police station after picking them up individually in the morning.

The woman journalist who was detained said the group had wanted to meet police officials to find out what action had been taken on her complaint.

Their effort to enter the police station, she said, was aimed at obtaining an update on the investigation.

Police cite restrictions in New Delhi district.

The police action came amid restrictions on public gatherings in the New Delhi district.

A senior police officer said Section 163 had been enforced and that Parliament Street was not an authorised venue for demonstrations.

Since the protesters had assembled there without permission, they were detained and taken to a police station, the officer said, adding that they were expected to be released.

The restrictions have been cited by police in connection with earlier action against protesters who attempted to return to Jantar Mantar after being asked to leave.

More than 150 people were detained on Saturday during that episode. Those taken into custody included All India Students’ Association president Neha Bora, activist Yogendra Yadav and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan.

Three complaints put police conduct under scrutiny

The latest confrontation follows three complaints submitted by women journalists to Delhi Police.

The complainants have alleged that they were subjected to sexual misconduct, inappropriate physical contact,t or manhandling by police personnel while they were covering the October 3 protest. The allegations are now being examined by the Crime Branch.

Police said the statements of all three women were recorded on Sunday. Their medical examinations were also conducted, while investigators are expected to review CCTV recordings from the locations where the alleged incidents took place.

Delhi Police Deputy Commissioner Neha Yadav said the complaints had been forwarded to the Crime Branch for investigation.

She also appealed to anyone possessing video footage connected with the alleged incidents to hand it over to investigators.

The police have not accepted the allegations as facts, and the inquiry will determine what happened during the protest and subsequent detention.

What the journalists have alleged

One of the women said she was watching the detention of female protesters, including Neha Bora, when she noticed that no woman police officer appeared to be present.

According to her complaint, she raised the issue with a police officer and alleged that he subsequently pushed her. She further claimed that the officer moved away after she confronted him about his conduct.

A second journalist said she was reporting from Ashoka Road at around 3 pm and was recording the detention of Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan when she allegedly felt someone touch her back.

She said she turned around and found a police officer standing close behind her. The journalist alleged that when she objected to the contact, the officer dismissed her complaint.

The allegations are part of the material being examined by the Crime Branch, which is expected to use witness accounts, CCTV recordings and other available evidence to establish the sequence of events.

CJP backs complainants, alleges further mistreatment

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has thrown its support behind the women and demanded that police register an FIR and take action against the personnel accused in the complaints.

Ratna Singh, who heads the group’s legal team, said that the woman who had accused an assistant commissioner of police of molestation was among those detained while pressing for registration of an FIR.

Singh also alleged that some of those detained were assaulted and claimed that two people had been badly beaten. Those claims have not been independently verified.

The organisation questioned the decision to detain people who were demanding action on the complaints and called for their immediate release.

Police reject allegation of assault in custody.

Delhi Police has denied that any of the detainees were assaulted while being taken away.

A police officer said the protesters resisted the detention and that both male and female officers were involved in moving them towards the police bus. The officer maintained that no one was manhandled.

The competing claims have now placed the conduct of police personnel during the protest and detention under investigation.

The Crime Branch inquiry is expected to establish whether the allegations made by the three journalists are supported by evidence and whether any police personnel can be held responsible.

The episode has also renewed questions over the safety of journalists covering protests, the use of police powers during restricted gatherings and the procedure for dealing with complaints against law-enforcement personnel.