CJP protest assault case: Court sends influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj to 1-day police custody
Bhardwaj, who was briefly detained on the day of the violent encounter in June before being let off, subsequently bragged on social media about his alleged proximity to high-profile political figures, naming some ministers.
- Sep 5, 2026,
- Updated Sep 5, 2026 3:38 PM IST
Escalating pressure from political quarters and mounting public outrage have forced the Delhi Police to clamp down on viral self-styled influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj, who was arrested and remanded to one-day police custody on Saturday by the Patiala House Court.
The action by Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler comes months after a June 23 clash at Jantar Mantar, where Bhardwaj, 21, and his associates allegedly brutally assaulted 38-year-old Sanjay Azad in front of his minor daughter. Azad, who belongs to the Dalit community, suffered severe head trauma requiring seven stitches.
The arrest followed hours after a massive demonstration staged by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) outside the Parliament Street police station, calling out initial police inaction.
While the original FIR registered on the day of the incident invoked minor BNS sections 115(2) for causing simple hurt and 126(2) for wrongful restraint, law enforcement has now slapped stringent provisions under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
A second FIR has also been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant BNS provisions after Azad’s minor daughter was targeted with online rape threats and intimidation.
Recounting the day of the assault, Azad stated that he had accompanied his daughter to the protest site when Bhardwaj and his companions confronted them over filming videos, rapidly escalating the verbal spat into a physical attack.
“I suffered seven stitches on my head but the police did not even give me MLC. They refused to help me. A person rushed me to the hospital. My daughter, who has been fighting for me, was threatened by Bhardwaj and his men. They sent her rape threats and made videos of her. We just want an FIR. They have tried to kill me, spoken about our caste and threatened my minor daughter,” Azad said.
Bhardwaj, who was briefly detained on the day of the violent encounter in June before being let off, subsequently bragged on social media about his alleged proximity to high-profile political figures, naming Union Minister Chirag Paswan and Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra.
Defending his actions, Bhardwaj claimed, “I only attacked him in self defence…or else I would have been mob lynched. I was with six friends and we went there to protest against CJP.”
However, Union Minister Chirag Paswan firmly distanced himself from the influencer and lodged a formal complaint against him for using his name.
“This incident is extremely serious. The way a person is openly admitting that he beat someone so severely that it could possibly have led to their death. To openly admit this on a podcast and even after that, if no action is taken against him, then I believe this will set a very wrong example...Understanding the seriousness of this matter, and because that person has misused my name along with the names of several politicians, I have also filed an official complaint against that person...I have urged Delhi Police that there should be a fair investigation into this matter,” Paswan said.
Escalating pressure from political quarters and mounting public outrage have forced the Delhi Police to clamp down on viral self-styled influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj, who was arrested and remanded to one-day police custody on Saturday by the Patiala House Court.
The action by Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler comes months after a June 23 clash at Jantar Mantar, where Bhardwaj, 21, and his associates allegedly brutally assaulted 38-year-old Sanjay Azad in front of his minor daughter. Azad, who belongs to the Dalit community, suffered severe head trauma requiring seven stitches.
The arrest followed hours after a massive demonstration staged by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) outside the Parliament Street police station, calling out initial police inaction.
While the original FIR registered on the day of the incident invoked minor BNS sections 115(2) for causing simple hurt and 126(2) for wrongful restraint, law enforcement has now slapped stringent provisions under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
A second FIR has also been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant BNS provisions after Azad’s minor daughter was targeted with online rape threats and intimidation.
Recounting the day of the assault, Azad stated that he had accompanied his daughter to the protest site when Bhardwaj and his companions confronted them over filming videos, rapidly escalating the verbal spat into a physical attack.
“I suffered seven stitches on my head but the police did not even give me MLC. They refused to help me. A person rushed me to the hospital. My daughter, who has been fighting for me, was threatened by Bhardwaj and his men. They sent her rape threats and made videos of her. We just want an FIR. They have tried to kill me, spoken about our caste and threatened my minor daughter,” Azad said.
Bhardwaj, who was briefly detained on the day of the violent encounter in June before being let off, subsequently bragged on social media about his alleged proximity to high-profile political figures, naming Union Minister Chirag Paswan and Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra.
Defending his actions, Bhardwaj claimed, “I only attacked him in self defence…or else I would have been mob lynched. I was with six friends and we went there to protest against CJP.”
However, Union Minister Chirag Paswan firmly distanced himself from the influencer and lodged a formal complaint against him for using his name.
“This incident is extremely serious. The way a person is openly admitting that he beat someone so severely that it could possibly have led to their death. To openly admit this on a podcast and even after that, if no action is taken against him, then I believe this will set a very wrong example...Understanding the seriousness of this matter, and because that person has misused my name along with the names of several politicians, I have also filed an official complaint against that person...I have urged Delhi Police that there should be a fair investigation into this matter,” Paswan said.