The Forum for Constitutional Democracy (FCD) has questioned the Delhi Police claims that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and the Parliament members had assaulted them.

The FCD wondered whether people would really believe such allegations made in the First Information Reports (FIR) against Mr. Gandhi and other Parliament members.

In a statement issued in Hyderabad, the FCD convenor K. Ramachandra Murthy and others, including former Supreme Court judge Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, described the registration of criminal cases against Mr. Gandhi and other parliamentarians as a “heavy-handed overreach” by the law enforcement authorities.

Terming the denial of the right to peaceful demonstration an “attack on democracy”, the FCD said Jantar Mantar, a recognised venue for peaceful dissent, was heavily cordoned off by police personnel on October 7. It alleged that Opposition leaders who sought directions from the police on where they could stage a peaceful demonstration were instead detained.

The FCD said the right to assemble and demonstrate peacefully was guaranteed by the Constitution and was part of the legacy of the freedom struggle. Denying elected representatives of Opposition parties the right to protest, it said, violated constitutional principles and undermined the democratic structure.

“If lawmakers themselves cannot demonstrate in this country, who can?” the forum asked, while condemning what it termed the “authoritarian actions and hostile posture” of the police. Others who signed the statement included G. Haragopal, Shantha Sinha, Rama Melkote, Telangana Press Academy chairman K. Sreenivas Reddy, MLC M. Kodandaram, D. Narsimha Reddy, Gopal Reddy Gade and senior advocate G. Jyothy Kiran.

The Forum for Constitutional Democracy (FCD) has condemned the Delhi Police for allegedly refusing to register an FIR against ACP Vivek Bhagat following complaints by three women journalists accusing him of molestation.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, October 5, the FCD said the Delhi Police had received three complaints against the officer on October 4 and forwarded them to the Crime Branch for inquiry. However, the Crime Branch was yet to register an FIR against the ACP, the forum said.

The FCD questioned the decision to conduct a preliminary inquiry before registering a case, saying that the police could have registered an FIR and subsequently transferred the matter to the Crime Branch. It also pointed out that two of the three journalists had previously complained against the ACP, but no action had been taken against him.

The forum demanded that the complaints lodged by the three journalists be investigated promptly and that an FIR be registered against Mr. Bhagat pending the inquiry. It also called for his immediate suspension.

The Forum for Constitutional Democracy (FCD) on Monday condemned the Delhi Police for not registering an FIR against Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat, who has been accused of molesting three women journalists.

In a statement, the FCD said the Delhi Police had received three complaints against the officer and referred them to the Crime Branch for inquiry. However, it alleged that no FIR had been registered so far despite the complaints. The organisation also pointed out that two of the complainants had previously lodged complaints against the same officer, but no action was allegedly taken.

The FCD also said the police could have registered an FIR first and subsequently transferred the case to the Crime Branch for investigation. Instead, it alleged that the authorities chose to conduct a preliminary inquiry, including examination of CCTV footage, before registering a case.

The forum demanded a prompt investigation into the complaints, immediate registration of an FIR against the ACP, and his suspension pending inquiry.

Expressing concern over the Delhi Police’s handling of the matter, the FCD described the response as alarming and called for accountability. The statement was issued by FCD convenor K. Ramachandra Murthy, and endorsed by former Supreme Court judge Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, academics G. Haragopal, Shantha Sinha, Rama Melkote, Telangana Press Academy Chairman K. Sreenivas Reddy, MLC M. Kodandaram, D. Narsimha Reddy, Gopal Reddy Gade and senior advocate G. Jyothy Kiran.