Swatantra Bhardwaj remanded to 14-day judicial custody in Delhi assault case

A Delhi court has remanded social media influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj to 14 days of judicial custody, effective until September 21. The decision follows his arrest in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, regarding an alleged assault on Sanjay Kumar, the father of a minor activist, during a protest at Jantar Mantar in June.

Bhardwaj faces multiple charges, including provisions under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, criminal intimidation, and a separate FIR under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The legal escalation followed public outcry over a video in which Bhardwaj allegedly claimed he had “cracked the skull” of the victim during the incident.

While Delhi Police initially described the victim's injuries as “simple in nature,” the charges were expanded following protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Bhardwaj’s legal counsel has challenged the legality of his arrest, filing a habeas corpus petition which the Delhi High Court agreed to hear on an urgent basis.