Delhi Police ACP Manasvi Vashistha suspended after leading personnel protest

Assistant Commissioner of Police Manasvi Vashistha has been suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs following a rare demonstration by Delhi Police personnel outside the force’s headquarters on November 2. The protest, involving between 100 and 150 officers, was organized to demand the reinstatement of Vashistha and Shahdara Station House Officer Inspector Arun Kumar, both of whom were recently transferred.

The controversy originated from an October 23 confrontation at the Shahdara police station, during which advocate Lalit Bansal allegedly sustained a serious head injury. Following the incident, legal associations accused Vashistha and Kumar of misconduct and intimidation, leading to an indefinite strike by lawyers across Delhi district courts. The police transfers were initially intended to resolve the standoff, but they instead triggered resentment among police personnel.

During the demonstration, protesters raised slogans such as “vardi ka apmaan nahi sahenge” (we will not tolerate insult to the uniform) and demanded a formal Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling interactions with lawyers. The Ministry of Home Affairs cited a violation of discipline for the suspension, noting that administrative grievances should be addressed through institutional channels rather than public demonstrations.