Protests have erupted among police personnel following the suspension of Manasvi Vashistha
Police delegation submits five demands to commissioner
The 2019-batch DANIPS officer was suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on November 2, hours after more than 100 police personnel, including women officers, protested outside the Police Headquarters against his transfer and that of Shahdara SHO Inspector Arun Kumar. Vashistha had served as Dhankhar’s PSO until the latter resigned as Vice-President in 2025. An engineering graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, Vashistha joined the Sashastra Seema Bal in 2016. He served in the force for around four years, with postings in Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar, before joining DANIPS as part of the 2019-20 batch. He studied mechanical engineering at IIT Kharagpur between 2009 and 2013. After completing his initial training and receiving his first posting in Delhi, he was transferred to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2022. He returned to Delhi in December 2024 and subsequently held various assignments in the Delhi Police. In December 2025, he was posted as ACP, Gandhi Nagar, where he served for around three months. He was subsequently assigned to the Delhi Police Security Unit before being posted again as ACP, Gandhi Nagar, in March 2026. The developments leading to Vashistha’s suspension can be traced to an incident on October 23, when advocate Lalit Bansal sustained a serious head injury during a confrontation between lawyers and police personnel at Shahdara police station over a parking dispute. Several advocates visited the police station on October 23 seeking action against those named in the case, according to the Coordination Committee of All District Courts Bar Associations of Delhi. This prompted them to return to the police station, where another scuffle broke out between lawyers and police personnel on October 24, according to the committee. The ACP and the SHO were subsequently transferred on October 28. The transfers triggered a protest outside the Police Headquarters on Monday, with more than 100 police personnel demanding the reinstatement of Vashistha and Kumar. The MHA suspended Vashistha on November 2, citing contemplated departmental proceedings. In its order, the ministry placed him under suspension with immediate effect under Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965. I believe 100 per cent that the system will do a fair inquiry and make a fair judgement,” he added. Earlier, on October 30, the police commissioner held a meeting with representatives of the Bar Council of Delhi and district court bar associations.
However, the lawyers later learnt that the accused had not been arrested and had reportedly been released. Vashistha is married and has two children. (With PTI inputs) You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in Delhi Stay updated with the latest Delhi news.
He was also part of the Delhi Police Security Unit and, according to sources, was involved in security arrangements for the AI Summit and the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reacting to the suspension, Vashistha said the action had not affected his courage or confidence and that he had faith in the departmental inquiry. I feel that our focus, commitment and resolve should grow stronger every day,” he said. These included action against lawyers involved in the Shahdara incident and registration of FIRs against lawyers who indulge in “hooliganism”.
NEW DELHI: From serving as former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s personal security officer (PSO) to becoming the focus of a police protest over his transfer, suspended Delhi Police ACP Manasvi Vashistha has had a career spanning assignments in the national capital, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Born and raised in Jaipur, Vashistha comes from a family of doctors. There, he served as Deputy Superintendent of Police in Diglipur and Havelock. An FIR was registered at the police station in connection with the incident. The committee claimed that ACP Vashistha and SHO Arun Kumar assured the lawyers that the accused, who were present at the police station, would be arrested. Women officers were also among those who participated in the demonstration. The order stated that his headquarters would remain in Delhi and that he would not be permitted to leave without prior approval from the competent authority. “I want to thank you all for giving a call for the Sampark Sabha. It was a fruitful discussion, and our problems will be resolved. Apart from this, I want to inform you that my suspension is true, but it has not reduced my courage and confidence in any manner. “Suspension is not a wrong action; it is a departmental action. A delegation of the protesting personnel also met Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and submitted five demands. Following the meeting, a joint coordination and grievance redressal mechanism was proposed. Download the TOI App.