Delhi court sends Swatantra Bhardwaj to judicial custody for 14 days in Jantar Mantar assault case

A Delhi court on Monday sent right-wing influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj to judicial custody (JC) for 14 days in the case related to alleged assault on the father of a Dalit student-activist during the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protests at Jantar Mantar in July.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Saurabh Partap Singh Laler passed the order after Bhardwaj was produced before him through video conference.

Bhardwaj was arrested from Uttar Pradesh on September 5. He has been booked for offence of assault and provisions under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act [SC/ST Act] and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act).

Bhardwaj was initially booked only for the offences under Sections 115(2) (causing simple hurt) and 126(2) (wrongful restraint) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

He later took to social media and claimed that had cracked the skull of the girl's father and was detained by the police only for a few hours. He also claimed proximity to NDA leaders Kapil Mishra and Chirag Paswan.

Paswan denied the same and also lodged a separate complaint against Bhardwaj for misusing his name.

Meanwhile, after Cockroach Janta Party leaders along with the girl and her father protested at the Parliament Street police station, more serious charges were added and he was arrested.

Bhardwaj has also approached the Delhi High Court by way of a Habeas Corpus petition alleging that his arrest was illegal and he should be released.