Swatantra Bhardwaj in Judicial Custody Over Assault Charges

Swatantra Bhardwaj, a right-wing social media influencer, has been placed in judicial custody for 14 days following his arrest related to a violent incident in New Delhi.

A Delhi court announced the ruling on Monday after hearing details of the case. Bhardwaj was produced via video conference by the authorities. His arrest occurred on September 5 in Uttar Pradesh as part of an investigation into an alleged assault on the father of a Dalit student-activist. This confrontation reportedly took place during a protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party at Jantar Mantar in July.

The incident escalated as members of the Cockroach Janta Party protested the attack at the Parliament Street police station, leading to additional charges being filed against Bhardwaj. Initially, he faced charges under Sections 115(2) and 126(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for causing injury and wrongful restraint, respectively. However, heightened tensions and the involvement of the protest group prompted authorities to apply provisions from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The arrest has drawn some attention due to Bhardwaj's claims on social media asserting he injured the father of the student-activist. He also made statements suggesting close ties with leaders from the National Democratic Alliance, including Kapil Mishra and Chirag Paswan. The latter has publicly denied these claims and filed a complaint against Bhardwaj for alleged misuse of his name.

As the situation evolves, Bhardwaj has taken action by submitting a Habeas Corpus petition to the Delhi High Court, arguing that his arrest was unlawful and that he should be released. The court's decision on his detention is anticipated in the coming days, as the case draws public and media scrutiny.