Additional DCP charge withheld for ACP accused of molestation

New Delhi: The current duty charge (CDC) of the post of additional deputy commissioner of police assigned to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat, who is accused of sexually harassing a woman journalist during a protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar here, has been withheld, the Delhi government has said.

Bhagat, who was among 12 DANIPS officers assigned CDC of additional DCP earlier on Monday, requested “of his own volition” not to avail the charge until a full inquiry into the alleged harassment of women journalists is conducted and “satisfactorily concluded”, the government said in a post on X.

Accordingly, the earlier order is being modified and will be reissued for assignment of CDC to the 11 remaining officers, it said.

The Delhi government clarified that the proposal to confer additional duty charge on the 12 officers, including Bhagat, was initiated on August 25, “much before the present set of events”, and the orders were issued after due approval on October 5.

It also said assignment of CDC is a temporary arrangement and confers no financial benefit. Officers given the additional charge cannot exercise any statutory duties of the regular incumbents, the government said.

Earlier on Monday, Bhagat’s assignment as additional DCP had drawn sharp reactions as he is among the Delhi Police personnel accused of sexually harassing a woman journalist during the October 3 protest at Jantar Mantar.

Three women journalists have accused Delhi Police officers of sexual harassment during the protest against alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision

The Delhi Police has received the complaints and forwarded them to the Crime Branch for further inquiry.