Protestors Demand An FIR Against Delhi Police Cop

Protesters here have climbed on top of barricades right in front of the Parliament Street Police Station demanding an FIR against ACP Vivek Bhagat who has been accused of groping and sexually assaulting a woman journalist during police action amid the protest yesterday outside Jantar Mantar. immunity that a public servant enjoys. But does simply being a police officer protect you from an FIR? The answer is no. As simple as this, under the Indian law, if information given to the police discloses a cognizable offense, then the police has to register an FIR. And in this case, a woman has alleged sexual assault and groping. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the police cannot use a preliminary inquiry to establish whether the complainant is telling the truth before registering an FIR. That is a legal precedent. The purpose of the FIR simply is to set the investigation in motion. Now there are special provisions concerning public servants but the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that this is not a blanket immunity. Such provisions do not extend to public officers in the case of sexual offences. So these procedural excuses The fact that student leaders, journalists, members of civil society have to confront the might of the police forces, have to climb on top of barricades for a demand as simple as registration of an FIR is extremely unfortunate. Remember, this is the same Parliament Street police station from where the use of pellet guns was authorized as well.