The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to stay the investigation into an FIR registered against journalist Rosy and Gajendra Singh, who is associated with a news portal, on a complaint filed by Delhi Police ACP Vivek Bhagat over alleged casteist remarks during a protest at Jantar Mantar.

Justice Mini Pushkarna issued notice on the pleas filed by Rosy and Gajendra Singh, seeking relief in connection with the criminal proceedings. The Court said it would examine the pleas on merits after receiving the police’s response and made it clear that the investigation would continue.

The Court listed the matters for final hearing on November 17.

The petitions arise from an FIR registered at Parliament Street Police Station on October 13, following a complaint by ACP Vivek Bhagat. The FIR names Rosy, Gajendra Singh and an unidentified person as accused. ACP has alleged that caste-based slurs were directed at him and that he was publicly humiliated while discharging his official duties during a protest near Jantar Mantar on October 3. The case invokes provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

A separate complaint was also filed against ACP Bhagat where the journalist has accused the police officer of sexually harassing and manhandling her during the October 3 protest, when she was allegedly recording the detention of a protester. Her allegations are also under investigation. The Supreme Court had granted her protection from coercive action in the case.

The confrontation took place during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision exercise.

Earlier, the High Court had declined to grant an immediate stay on the investigation, observing that the police needed to be heard before any such relief could be considered. The Supreme Court has separately granted Rosy protection against coercive action in the matter.