India, Oct. 19 -- She says the senior police officer molested her at Jantar Mantar on October 3. The officer, assistant commissioner of police Vivek Bhagat counters that she used a casteist slur against him, an offence under the SC/ST act, and has filed a First Information Report.

Two days later, came the announcement: Bhagat had been promoted to additional deputy commissioner. The police clarified the promotion had been proposed before the allegations surfaced. Nevertheless, in the outrage that followed, it was put on hold.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court issued directions: No coercive action could be taken against the journalist.

The two-judge bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a petition filed b...