New Delhi, Oct. 15 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday directed that no coercive action be taken against a woman journalist accused of making casteist remarks against Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat, after she alleged that the case was a counterblast to her sexual harassment complaint against the officer.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order while hearing a petition by the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), highlighting violence and sexual harassment faced by women journalists covering protests in the Capital on October 10 and earlier.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing NWMI, sought an independent commission comprising predominantly former women judges, IPS officers, eminent citizens and social activists to investigate allegations against police personnel. The bench termed the allegations "very serious" and permitted her to submit, in a sealed cover, the identities of women journalists willing to file written complaints and suggestions for the proposed committee.
"There are allegations against certain police officers. We are considering whether there must be an independent committee to probe them... consequences under the law must follow," the court said.
The bench stressed that journalists required additional protection, while raising questions about who could claim journalistic status in the digital era. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the police, urged the court to await its response before deciding on an independent commission. He also questioned the authenticity of a video submitted by the journalist, suggesting it could be AI-generated.
Jaising called for a standard operating procedure to address harassment of women journalists, saying they faced violence while covering protests at Jantar Mantar despite working without similar obstacles in war zones. Mehta opposed a blanket order, citing allegations of harassment against women police personnel as well.
Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia raised a separate allegation that a three-month-pregnant journalist was pushed by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during an incident at the Supreme Court on October 12, leaving her injured and requiring hospitalisation. Jaising accused him of politicising the matter. The court said it could examine the issue if a petition was filed.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court declined an urgent hearing on the journalist's plea challenging the case against her, agreeing to hear it on Friday.
The FIR, registered on Tuesday, names the journalist and two others under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions relating to obstructing a public servant, defamation and joint liability, besides the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The petition termed the FIR a misuse of power and a counterblast to her October 3 complaint at Parliament Street police station, alleging a 10-day delay in reporting the incident against the swift registration of the case.
The journalist alleged Bhagat touched her inappropriately and pushed her while she recorded a Left activist's detention on October 3. He denied the allegations, and police referred her complaint to the crime branch for an impartial inquiry.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.