The Delhi High Court deferred the journalist's plea to stay the police investigation until October 27. The court said it could not grant relief without first hearing Delhi Police.
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Newdelhi,Oct 16, 2026 18:52 IST
The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to pass an urgent order on a woman journalist's plea seeking a stay on the investigation into a case filed against her by a police officer, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
The officer has accused the journalist and others of making casteist remarks, publicly humiliating and defaming him during a protest near Jantar Mantar earlier this month. The journalist had earlier filed a sexual assault complaint against the officer.
Justice Mini Pushkarna said the court could not pass an order without hearing the police and listed the matter for October 27, after the Dussehra vacation. The high court will remain closed from October 19 to October 26.
When the journalist's counsel sought a stay on the investigation, the judge said, "No, not like this. I cannot pass any order without hearing them."
"I cannot pass any such order like this. On the urgency expressed by the petitioners' counsel, list on October 27," the judge said.
The journalist's counsel argued that the matter required an immediate order directing a complete stay on the investigation into the first information report. He told the court that the Supreme Court had on Thursday directed that no coercive action be taken against the journalist and sought an assurance from the state's counsel that the police would not proceed against her.
He alleged that Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivek Bhagat had lodged the FIR to intimidate the journalist and prevent her from pursuing her sexual assault complaint against him. Her complaint is being investigated by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. The petition was filed through advocate Saimon Farooqui.
During the brief hearing, the state's counsel submitted that the journalist was already protected by the Supreme Court. The high court also adjourned another plea filed by the journalist's male colleague seeking the quashing of an FIR registered against him.
According to Press Trust of India, Delhi Police registered the FIR against the independent journalist and others following a complaint by Bhagat, who is posted in the Connaught Place sub-division of New Delhi district. The case was filed under relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Sections 221, 356(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to obstruction of a public servant, defamation and common intention.
According to the FIR, Bhagat was on law-and-order duty near the Buta Singh roundabout at Jantar Mantar on October 3 when he allegedly overheard the journalist making derogatory remarks in public about his Megh or Meghwal caste and questioning his appointment as an ACP. He alleged that he ignored the remarks and continued with his duties.
Bhagat further alleged that around 3 pm that day, the journalist accused him of sexual assault during the handling and detention of protesters. He claimed that she and her colleagues repeatedly confronted him and obstructed his official work.
Bhagat also alleged that the journalist and some members of the Cockroach Janta Party, including Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das and Ratna Singh, circulated posts and reels accusing him on social media platforms X and Instagram.
The high court has, therefore, deferred the journalist's plea for a stay on the investigation until October 27, while the police case against her and the Crime Branch investigation into her complaint against Bhagat remain under consideration.
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