Delhi ACP suspended after leading protest against transfer
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A Delhi assistant commissioner of police was suspended on Tuesday for leading a protest against the transfer of two officers following a face-off with lawyers in October.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Manasvi Vashishtha was suspended for “violation of discipline”, The Hindu reported.
Around 150 police personnel had staged a protest outside the Delhi Police headquarters on Monday, demanding the reinstatement of Vashishtha and Station House Officer Arun Kumar.
The dispute began on October 23, when advocate Lalit Bansal sustained a head injury during a scuffle with a salon owner inside Shahdara police station in east Delhi, The Indian Express reported.
The Coordination Committee of All District Courts Bar Associations of Delhi alleged that Vashishtha and Kumar had assured action against the accused. However, the committee later learnt that the man had been released.
The committee further alleged that Vashishtha displayed his revolver and threatened advocates who visited the police station on October 24 to express their concern. The police, meanwhile, alleged that a group of nearly 20 lawyers had misbehaved with the two officers.
District court lawyers launched an indefinite strike on October 27, demanding action against the officers. Vashishtha and Kumar were transferred the following day, after which the lawyers called off their strike.
Vashishtha was moved from his post as sub-divisional police officer of Gandhi Nagar to the special police unit for women and children. Kumar was transferred from Shahdara police station to the Delhi Police security branch.
The police personnel who protested on Monday raised five demands, including the reinstatement of the officers and legal action against the lawyers accused of misbehaviour.