India, July 29 -- New Delhi

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking the transfer of a police inquiry into allegations of police excesses against a woman from the supervision of additional deputy commissioner of police (north-east) Sandeep Lamba, on the grounds that videos purportedly showing him slapping a woman during the Cockroach Janta Party march to Parliament on July 20 created a reasonable apprehension of bias.

A bench of justice Girish Kathpalia said that transferring the inquiry solely on the basis of videos alleging misconduct would tarnish the officer's reputation. It said that the officer was entitled to a fair trial and inquiry and even if he was held guilty for slapping, it did not mean that he would be...