The Delhi high court on Tuesday declined to stay the investigation into two journalists accused of making casteist remarks against Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat.
A bench of Justice Mini Pushkarna observed that the investigation could not be stayed without first examining the status report filed by the Delhi Police, since the matter required consideration. “Unless and until I have their (Delhi police) status report, the investigation cannot be stayed. Investigation may continue. Let me issue notice. I’m not passing any order except issuing notice. I am not saying anything. The court, however, issued notice in the petition filed by the two journalists, including a woman who had accused Bhagat of sexual harassment, seeking quashing of the FIR registered by the Delhi Police. The court also refused to pass an order restraining the cops from taking coercive action against the male journalist Gajendra Singh.
The journalists are also accused of publicly humiliating the police officer and obstructing him from discharging his official duties during a protest in the national capital on October 3.
I am simply issuing notice,” the court said. This was after senior advocate Tanvir Mir, representing the two journalists, urged the court to stay the probe, saying the FIR was a “revengeful” and retaliatory measure to coerce the woman journalist into giving up her complaint at Parliament Street Police Station.
He said that the two were participating in the investigation.
He further submitted that the Supreme Court had earlier this month passed an order restraining the cops from taking coercive action against the woman journalist and thus a similar protection should also be provided to Singh.
