TMC's Saket Gokhale files complaint against Delhi cop for 'assaulting' woman protester on July 20

Trinamool Congress former Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale on Thursday (July 23, 2026) said he has filed a police complaint against Additional DCP Sandeep Lamba over the alleged assault of a woman protester during police action near Jantar Mantar on July 20.

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In a post on X, Mr. Gokhale said he has submitted the complaint to the SHO of Parliament Street police station, seeking an FIR against Mr. Lamba and alleging that the officer assaulted a woman protester during the police crackdown at the students' march towards Parliament.

He said the complaint invokes provisions of the BNS, including Section 74 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), Section 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), Section 131 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation) and Section 198 (public servant disobeying the law with intent to cause injury), read with Section 3(5).

Mr. Gokhale said the complaint was filed a day after the Delhi High Court was informed by the government, during the hearing of petitions alleging police brutality, that no one had approached the police seeking registration of an FIR.

Citing the Supreme Court's judgment in Lalita Kumari vs State of Uttar Pradesh, he said registration of an FIR is mandatory where information discloses a cognisable offence.

Alleging that over 90 people were injured in the police action, Mr. Gokhale claimed that there were videos showing police personnel without name tags, use of lathis fitted with nails and children being beaten. He said every police officer who had allegedly assaulted peaceful protesters should be held accountable.

Mr. Gokhale has also filed a complaint before the United Nations' (UN) Special Procedures mechanism over the alleged police brutality during the July 20 protest.

In a post earlier, Mt. Gokhale said the complaint submitted to the UN covers issues including arbitrary detention, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, protection of human rights defenders, torture and ill-treatment, and violence against women and girls.

The TMC leader has also appealed to the public to share videos of the July 20 police action, saying he and some MPs were compiling visual evidence to identify police personnel allegedly involved in assaulting protesters so that legal action could be initiated.

He said people possessing videos, particularly those clearly showing the faces of officers involved, could upload them anonymously through a dedicated portal, adding that no personal details such as name, email address or phone number would be collected.

The police action on July 20 followed a call for the 'Sansad Chalo' march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and supported by student groups demanding action on education-related issues.

Police used tear gas and baton charge to disperse protesters after they attempted to march towards Parliament, leading to allegations of excessive force by opposition parties, student organisations and the protest organisers. The Delhi Police has maintained that it acted to enforce prohibitory orders and preserve law and order.