New Delhi: Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Manasvi Vashistha, a 2019-batch officer of the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service (DANIPS), has been placed under suspension by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a day after he led a gathering of Delhi Police personnel outside the force’s headquarters in New Delhi.
The suspension order was issued on Monday, November 2, under Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965. It states that departmental proceedings against the officer are contemplated.
The action followed a demonstration by police personnel seeking the reinstatement of Vashistha and Shahdara police station Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Arun Kumar, who were transferred after a confrontation between police personnel and lawyers at Shahdara police station on October 23.
Who Is Manasvi Vashistha?
Manasvi Vashistha belongs to the 2019 batch of DANIPS, a service that provides officers for policing and other law-enforcement responsibilities in Delhi and other Union Territories.
He is among the DANIPS officers relieved after completing their foundation and district practical training to report to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In September 2024, another MHA transfer order brought him back from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to Delhi.
Before his suspension, Vashistha was serving as ACP of the Gandhi Nagar subdivision in Shahdara district. He was transferred to the Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC) on October 28 following the dispute with lawyers.
Why Were ACP Manasvi Vashistha and SHO Arun Kumar Transferred?
The controversy originated from an assault case involving advocate Lalit Bansal, who sustained a serious head injury on October 23.
An FIR was registered at Shahdara police station following a complaint by advocate Amulya Ratan.
According to the account presented by the Coordination Committee of All District Court Bar Associations of Delhi, several advocates visited the police station on the evening of October 23 to seek action against those accused of assaulting Bansal.
The lawyers alleged that Vashistha and Inspector Arun Kumar assured them that the persons named in the case would be arrested. However, the advocates subsequently learnt that the accused had reportedly not been arrested and had been released.
When the lawyers returned to the police station to question the handling of the matter, they alleged that Vashistha displayed his service revolver and threatened the advocates present.
These allegations prompted lawyers across Delhi’s district courts to begin an indefinite abstention from judicial work, demanding action against the officers.
On October 28, Delhi Police issued transfer orders for both officers:
- ACP Manasvi Vashistha: Transferred from SDPO, Gandhi Nagar subdivision, to the Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC).
- Inspector Arun Kumar: Transferred from SHO, Shahdara police station, to the Security Unit of Delhi Police.
Following the transfers, the Coordination Committee of All District Court Bar Associations called off its indefinite strike.
Around 500 Police Personnel Gather Outside Headquarters
The transfer orders triggered discontent among sections of the Delhi Police force.
On November 2, police personnel gathered outside Gate No. 1 of the Delhi Police Headquarters on Jai Singh Road, demanding the reinstatement of Vashistha and Kumar.
The gathering initially involved around 100 personnel and later grew, with reports indicating that approximately 500 officers and personnel attended a meeting with Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and other senior officials.
Vashistha, who joined the gathering, said the personnel wanted an opportunity to meet the Police Commissioner and discuss their concerns. He also called for a standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with such situations.
Among the concerns raised by the personnel were:
- The need for a formal grievance-redressal mechanism.
- Protection of police personnel while performing official duties.
- Concerns about the treatment of officers in police stations and courtrooms.
- Clear procedures for handling disputes involving police personnel and lawyers.
Delhi Police described the interaction with personnel as a Sampark Sabha, during which the Commissioner and senior officers heard their grievances.
What Does the Suspension Order Say?
The MHA placed Vashistha under suspension with immediate effect by exercising powers under Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965.
The order states that departmental proceedings against him are contemplated. However, it does not specify the grounds for the proposed proceedings.
The order also lays down the following conditions during the suspension period:
- Headquarters: Delhi will remain his headquarters.
- Movement restrictions: He cannot leave the headquarters without prior permission from the competent authority.
- Subsistence allowance: He will be entitled to the prescribed subsistence allowance, subject to the conditions mentioned in the order.
The suspension came hours after Vashistha participated in the police personnel’s gathering at the headquarters on November 2.
The developments have brought the dispute between Delhi Police personnel and the legal fraternity into focus, with the original Shahdara incident and the subsequent administrative action against the two officers forming the background to the latest developments.
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