Self-styled Hindutva social media influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj was remanded to someday of police custody by the Patiala Home Court docket in New Delhi following his arrest by the Delhi police on Saturday (September 5, 2026). He was produced earlier than the court docket by way of video conferencing in reference to the assault on the daddy of a pupil protester in the course of the Jantar Mantar protests in July.
The arrest got here practically 24 hours after the Cockroach Janta Social gathering (CJP) protested exterior the Parliament Road police station in New Delhi on Friday (September 4, 2026) demanding his arrest and stringent expenses towards Mr. Bhardwaj.
The accused had claimed, in a video podcast interview obtainable on YouTube, that he had “cracked open the cranium” of the scholar activist’s father in the course of the protests at Jantar Mantar in July.
Law enforcement officials stated Mr. Bhardwaj reached Bulandshahr on Friday (September 4, 2026) amid mounting backlash over his remarks. Later, a crew of Delhi Police Crime Department officers detained him from Bulandshahr.
The arrest adopted hours of negotiations between the police and CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, together with pupil protester whose father was allegedly assaulted. The protesters sought Mr. Bhardwaj’s arrest and demanded that extra stringent provisions be added to the prevailing case.
The arrest adopted hours of negotiations between the police and CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das together with the scholar activist.
‘Unusual and particular listening to’
“Unusual and particular listening to for accused Swantantra Bhardwaj. At the moment at Patiala Home Court docket round 1.45 p.m., he was offered earlier than the decide at his residence, and a particular VC association was made for him. The decide was not sitting within the court docket,” stated Rishav Ranjan, counsel for the scholar activist.
“Solely someday of police custody was sought in such a severe offence. We didn’t obtain any particulars on the costs that had been added to the FIR. I don’t know what’s being hidden,” he stated.
In the meantime, Advocate Umesh Sharma, counsel for Mr. Bhardwaj, stated, “At some point of police custody has been given. Since this arrest occurred immediately, there’s plenty of confusion. They picked him up at night time and took him away; we’re wanting into all these items.”
Earlier within the day, supporters of Mr. Bhardwaj gathered in entrance of the Parliament Road police station demanding his launch amid heavy safety.
Raining complaints towards Bharadwaj
A day after the CJP protest, a string of complaints have been lodged towards Mr. Bharadwaj.
Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Social gathering (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan filed a grievance with the Parliament Road police, accusing Mr. Bhardwaj of “falsely and publicly” invoking his title to assert political safety in reference to the assault. The police stated investigation is beneath method to verify the claims.
The grievance, filed by advocate Sushil Kumar, nationwide president of the get together’s authorized cell, seeks registration of an FIR towards Bhardwaj and strict motion towards him. “First, it ought to be made clear that neither Chirag Paswan nor the Lok Janshakti Social gathering (Ram Vilas) has any type of reference to Swatantra Bhardwaj,” the grievance states, whereas requesting that Mr. Paswan’s repute be shielded from the “false claims” being made publicly in his title.
On Saturday (September 5, 2026), the Indian Youth Congress authorized cell submitted a grievance at Mandir Marg police station in New Delhi over alleged “hateful” and “provocative” remarks towards Muslims and derogatory feedback about Mahatma Gandhi within the podcast.
The grievance alleges that Mr. Bhardwaj made statements expressing hatred in direction of Muslims, advocated their social and financial exclusion and referred to the concept of “Muslim-free India”.
The complainant stated the remarks had the potential to advertise communal violence, spiritual disharmony and disturbance of public order. “A public podcast of this nature, which is freely obtainable and able to being extensively circulated by way of social media, considerably will increase the chance and affect of such communal hatred,” the grievance learn.
The Mandir Marg police are inspecting the allegations and the contents of the video earlier than taking additional motion.
Grievance towards the scholar activist
In one other improvement, advocate Amita Sachdeva submitted a grievance to the Cyber Police Station in New Delhi towards the scholar activist and her father for “deliberate and malicious posts” insulting Hindu deities on X. The grievance, lodged on September 5, alleged that 4 posts shared from the scholar activist’s social media account on July 11, 2025, April 9, 2025, September 8, 2023, and August 18, 2026, insulted Hindu deities and non secular beliefs, and sought registration of an FIR beneath Part 299 and Part 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Data Know-how Act.
The Cyber Crime police have launched an investigation to determine the allegations.
Printed – September 05, 2026 03:43 pm IST
