‘Swatantra Bhardwaj Could Be Arrested Within 72 Hours,’ Says Protester’s Counsel During Sit-In

Members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) staged a sit-in at the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi, demanding action over a viral video in which self-proclaimed Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj allegedly claimed to have assaulted the father of a student protester during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar.

Bhardwaj allegedly claimed in the video that he assaulted Sanjay Azad, the father of a protester, and that he avoided jail following a phone call from a BJP leader. The claims have not been independently verified.

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said party members would gather at the police station at 10 am to seek action in connection with the alleged assault on Sanjay, father of student protester Nishu. Sanjay was reportedly injured during a June 23 demonstration over the alleged NEET paper leak.

The protest followed the circulation of a video interview featuring Bhardwaj, in which he reportedly spoke about the incident and his alleged involvement.

The Delhi Police has denied allegations of political interference in the case. New Delhi DCP Sachin Sharma said Sanjay sustained a head injury from the metal kada worn by one of the alleged assailants during a scuffle.

According to police, the injuries were assessed as “simple” at RML Hospital and a case was subsequently registered at Parliament Street police station.

Police said two men, Suraj Kumar and Swatantra Bhardwaj, were detained from the spot. They were later served notices and questioned as part of the investigation.

The Delhi Police said further legal action would follow and that a chargesheet would be filed before the competent court.