Inquiry Pending, Delhi Now Keeps ACP Bhagat Out

“Bhagat, on his own, requested that he would not take up the additional charge until a full inquiry into the allegations was conducted and its findings satisfactorily concluded,” the Government of NCT of Delhi said, adding that his request had been accepted. A fresh order will be issued for the remaining 11 officers.

The government said the proposal to assign current duty charge to the 12 officers was initiated on 25 August, well before the recent developments involving Bhagat. The assignments were approved and issued on 5 October.

It also clarified that current duty charge is a temporary administrative arrangement that carries no financial benefit. Officers holding such charge cannot exercise the statutory powers and duties vested in the regular incumbents of the posts.

The decision comes amid allegations of molestation and bad touch made by a woman journalist against Bhagat during the Delhi protest against the Election Commission on 3 October. A case was subsequently registered and its investigation handed over to the Delhi Police Crime Branch. 

Two other women have also made similar allegations. 

Key Assignments

Bhagat has been attached to the Connaught Place circle in New Delhi district since 2024. 

A 2017-batch officer, he secured 967th rank in the Civil Services Examination and joined Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Chandigarh Police Service (DANIPS). His first major independent executive posting came in February 2021, when he was posted as ACP, Samaypur Badli subdivision, in the Outer North district.

In 2022, Bhagat served as Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Delhi following his temporary attachment to the LG Secretariat. He later returned to district policing and took charge as executive ACP of the Connaught Place subdivision, a key assignment involving law and order management in central Delhi and areas frequently witnessing protests and VVIP movement.

Bhagat holds a B. Tech degree in Civil Engineering from Delhi College of Engineering, now Delhi Technological University.

With the latest modification, Bhagat will not assume the temporary Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police charge. The arrangement will proceed with the other 11 DANIPS officers while the enquiry into the allegations against him is under way.