Delhi HC refuses to shift probe into ‘police excesses’ from officer seen ‘slapping’ woman during July 20 protest
The Delhi High Court refused to transfer an inquiry against a police officer accused of misconduct, stating that a single viral video does not prove bias in unrelated matters. The court emphasized that officers must be allowed to perform their duties without being unfairly tarnished.
Why it matters
The ruling addresses the balance between police accountability and the presumption of innocence in administrative inquiries.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to transfer a 2025 inquiry into allegations of police excesses from Additional DCP Sandeep Lamba, who was recently seen in a viral video allegedly slapping a woman during the July 20 ‘Chalo Sansad’ march, observing that a police officer cannot be presumed to be biased in every matter merely because of allegations arising from another incident.
“Just because he is caught on some video clip slapping a lady, we cannot tarnish him in black. Are we aware of the ground realities? How would the crowd have entered Parliament, and firing would have started? So many people would have died,” Justice Girish Kathpalia remarked.
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