Swatantra Bhardwaj detained after big CJP protest, POCSO case filed after ‘rape threats’ to minor
Here's the latest protest news from across India:
Delhi Police on Friday detained a 21-year-old right-wing content creator accused of severely injuring a 38-year-old man during the Jantar Mantar protests in June, officers shared, hours after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and other politicians staged a massive protest at the Parliament Street police station.
Adding to this, Swatantra Bhardwaj describes himself as a “Swatantra Sanatani Yodha” on his profile. (Instagram/ bhardwaj_swatantra_official) The accused, identified as Swatantra Bhardwaj, 21, and others allegedly attacked a man named Sanjay Azad, 38, who had accompanied his 14-year-old daughter to the protest on June 23.
Meanwhile, Azad, a Dalit person, suffered severe injuries to his head but an FIR was lodged the same day at Parliament Street police station only under BNS sections 115(2) (causing simple hurt) and 126(2) (wrongful restraint). Bhardwaj was briefly detained the same day but was rolled out hours later, and later claimed on social media that he was friends with top politicians — he mentioned the names of Union minister Chirag Paswan and Delhi minister Kapil Mishra — of the ruling establishment.
Notably, “Finally, Delhi Police have registered an FIR against the Sanghi goon and shared he will be arrested within 72 hours. It took two months and a protest just to get an FIR registered for a hate crime that happened right in front of the police!” CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke shared in a post on X.
As per the latest buzz, After the protest, police also added sections under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Union minister Paswan distanced himself from Bhardwaj.
In further updates, Another FIR has been lodged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and sections of the BNS, police shared after a complaint was filed regarding the minor receiving rape threats from Bhardwaj.
On top of that, While Delhi Police and Bulandshahr police refused to give details about the detention, investigating officials, who spoke to HT and did not wish to be named, shared a team was sent to Bulandshahr late on Friday afternoon. Bhardwaj was held after his phone location was traced, shared a police officer. Police are yet to obtain his transit remand as of late Friday evening.
Delhi minister Mishra did not issue a statement on Bhardwaj’s claims.
Source: Hindustan Times