Delhi Govt withholds current duty charge of Additional DCP given to officer accused of sexually harassing journalist

The proposal to confer additional duty charge to these officers was initiated on August 25, “much before the present set of events”, the government said

Updated - October 06, 2026 06:14 am IST - New Delhi

Mediapersons and Protesters seen sitting outside the Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi on October 5, 2026. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

The current duty charge (CDC) of the post of Additional Deputy Commissioner of police to Assistant Commissioner (ACP) Vivek Bhagat — accused of sexually harassing a woman journalist during a protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi — has been withheld, the Delhi government said late on Monday (October 5, 2026).

A Delhi government order earlier in the day assigned CDC of additional DCP to 12 DANIPS officers including Mr. Bhagat.

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

Government of NCT of Delhi order dated October 5, 2026, wherein current duty charge of the post of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police has been assigned to 12 officers of DANIPS is being modified in respect of Shri Vivek Bhagat, ACP. The proposal to confer additional duty charge to these officers was initiated on August 25, much before the present set of events. The orders were issued after due approval on October 5, 2026. As stated in the order, the assignment of current duty charge is a temporary arrangement which confers no financial benefit, and no statutory duties of the regular incumbents can be exercised by the officers to whom current duty charge has been assigned. However, Shri Vivek Bhagat, ACP, of his own volition, has requested not to avail the current duty charge assignment, till a full enquiry has been conducted in the matter of alleged harassment of women journalists and such enquiry has been satisfactorily concluded. Accordingly, the order dated October 5, 2026, as aforesaid is being modified and will be reissued with respect to assignment of current duty charge on the eleven remaining officers.— Delhi Government (@DelhiGovDigital) October 5, 2026

The order stated that the assignment was a temporary arrangement carrying no financial benefit and did not confer the statutory powers of a regular incumbent. As per Delhi government, ACP Vivek Bhagat subsequently requested that he not be given the current duty charge until a full enquiry into the allegations of harassment of women journalists was completed.

The order is being modified accordingly, with the charge to be assigned to the remaining 11 officers.

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

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

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

Published - October 06, 2026 12:56 am IST

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