Goon Swatantra Bhardwaj Granted Interim Bail In Jantar Mantar Assault Case
Swatantra Bhardwaj granted three-week interim bail in Jantar Mantar protest assault case.
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Swatantra Bhardwaj, identified as a right-wing influencer, was granted a three-week interim bail by a Delhi court in connection with the alleged assault of the father of a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist during a protest at Jantar Mantar in July. The court’s order was pronounced by Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler. Bhardwaj had been arrested by Delhi Police in September after a video surfaced in which he admitted to the assault.
According to The Indian Express, Bhardwaj claimed in a widely circulated video podcast that he had attacked the father of a student protester, resulting in a head injury that required 60 stitches. He further alleged in the video that he had avoided jail due to the intervention of a politician, and described himself as a “kattar Hindu.”
As reported by Hindustan Times, the interim bail was granted on a bail bond of Rs. 50,000 and a surety of like amount. The case was registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and Bhardwaj was detained in Bulandshahr earlier in September, shortly after CJP supporters protested outside the Parliament Street police station demanding his arrest.
The Delhi Police added provisions of the SC/ST Act and criminal intimidation to the FIR against Bhardwaj following the incident. Further details indicate that the protest was led by CJP leader Saurav Das, and the demand included registering a case under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to attempt to murder.
“He also purportedly boasts in the video that the person he had attacked had to be given 60 stitches and was on the verge of death – and that a case under Section 307 of the IPC, which relates to attempt to murder, should have been registered against him,” the order records.
During the investigation, Bhardwaj claimed that he acted in self-defence. The Delhi Police stated that the injuries suffered by the student activist’s father were “simple in nature.” Coverage revealed that a separate case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has also been registered against Bhardwaj.
The court’s order specified that Bhardwaj’s interim bail is valid for three weeks, during which he must comply with all conditions set by the court. The legal proceedings are ongoing as developments continue.
“Bhardwaj, who admitted to attacking the father of a student protester at Jantar Mantar in July, was arrested by Delhi Police in September,” the court noted in its summary of the case background.
Additional legal provisions were invoked after the incident, and the investigation remains active as details emerged.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.