Delhi Police ACP suspended after leading protest over lawyer confrontation demands
Assistant Commissioner of Police Manasvi Vashishta was suspended following a 10-hour protest by approximately 500 police personnel.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Manasvi Vashishta has been suspended after leading a protest by around 500 police personnel outside the Delhi Police headquarters on Monday, according to the Hindustan Times.
The protest followed the transfer of Vashishta and Shahdara station house officer (SHO) Arun Kumar. The transfers occurred after lawyers called for an indefinite strike regarding the police handling of an assault case involving advocate Lalit Bansal.
The dispute began on October 23 in east Delhi’s Shahdara, when an altercation resulted in Bansal sustaining a head injury. An FIR was registered at the Shahdara police station following a complaint by advocate Amulya Ratan.
The protesting officers submitted five demands, including the establishment of a grievance redressal committee and the framing of standard operating procedures (SOP) to manage confrontations with lawyers. They also requested security for personnel in courtrooms and limits on the number of lawyers entering an officer's office at once.
Lawyers alleged that the ACP and the SHO threatened advocates seeking action in the Bansal assault case. A police sub-inspector at the protest claimed a 30-minute video shows men in black coats assaulting the ACP and SHO, yet transfer orders were issued.
Vashishta stated that the demands were clear and that an SOP is needed to deal with such matters. In a video message released on Sunday, Vashishta said the gathering was against those who misuse power rather than against advocates.