Supreme Court Seeks Delhi Police Presence Over Alleged Harassment of Journalists

The Supreme Court of India has formally intervened in the aftermath of an October 10 protest in New Delhi, ordering the Delhi Police to depute a senior officer to appear before the bench on Thursday. The directive follows serious allegations that women journalists covering the protest, which demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, were subjected to sexual harassment by police personnel.Senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing the Network of Women in Media, brought the matter to the attention of the court. She informed the bench, presided over by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, that a formal petition detailing these incidents had been filed. Jaising noted that an advance copy of the petition had already been provided to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is representing the Delhi Police in the matter. In response to the gravity of the allegations, the bench stated it required a senior police official to be present to provide necessary explanations and assist the court with the proceedings.The hearing on Tuesday also addressed a series of related petitions stemming from the October 10 demonstrations and the subsequent security response. Among these were claims regarding the use of excessive force by authorities, who had barred protesters from gathering at Jantar Mantar. Additionally, senior advocate Nithya Ramakrishnan, appearing for Apoorvanand Jha, alleged that students detained by police during the unrest had been subjected to torture while in custody.Separately, the court heard mentions from senior advocates Gaurav Bhatia and Mahesh Jethmalani regarding a petition seeking criminal contempt action against political figures. The petition refers to a procession led by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other members of the INDIA bloc, who allegedly obstructed access to the Supreme Court's petition filing counter on Monday evening. These advocates have requested that the court impose a ban on political activities within its premises and preserve the relevant CCTV footage of the incident.The legal challenges surrounding the October 10 event are extensive. During an earlier extraordinary hearing held on Sunday, the Supreme Court had already expressed concerns that authorities prima facie breached an October 9 order that prohibited the total closure of metro stations and train services in the capital. Consequently, the court had previously sought responses from the Union Home Secretary, the Delhi Police Commissioner, and the Delhi Metro chief regarding contempt petitions filed against them.Addressing the broader scope of the grievances, Chief Justice Surya Kant remarked that all issues raised across the various petitions are considered serious and will be examined by the bench. The court also took note of a petition concerning the alleged manhandling of advocates Shadan Farasat, Dinesh Dwivedi, and Uttara Babar, which was mentioned by senior advocate C U Singh.The court has scheduled a comprehensive hearing for Thursday to address the collective filings. This includes pending responses from the Union Home Secretary, the Delhi Police Commissioner, and the Delhi Metro chief, for whom the bench has granted an extension of time. As the judiciary prepares to scrutinize these conflicting reports of public disruption and institutional conduct, the proceedings remain a focal point for the balance between the right to protest and the maintenance of civic order in the capital.