Jantar Mantar Assault: Swatantra Bhardwaj, Who Bragged About Cracking Man's Skull, Booked Under POCSO Act In Fresh FIR

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Delhi Police on Friday registered a fresh FIR against self-styled Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, police said.

The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has also been added to the earlier FIR registered in connection with the case, news agency ANI reported.

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Delhi Police said Bhardwaj has not been arrested so far. He was detained in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, according to PTI, hours after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) staged a protest outside the Parliament Street police station, demanding his arrest for assaulting a student's father, a crime he bragged about in an interview.

The Cockroach Janata Party demanded legal action against Swatantra Bharadwaj.

The detention came after CJP representatives, accompanied by Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) chief and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad and MP Pappu Yadav, met police officials and were assured that action would be taken against Bhardwaj within 72 hours.

What has Swatantra Bhardwaj been accused of?

Police registered a fresh FIR under the POCSO Ac on a complaint by the minor activist, alleging online threats and harassment. This is separate from the earlier FIR filed against Bhardwaj.

The case also invokes BNS Sections 351(3), 78 (stalking) and 79 (insulting the modesty of a woman), besides Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, CJP co-convener Saurav Das said, as per PTI.

'Online threats' to Nishu

Delhi student activist Nishu Azad Nishu, a minor, had earlier alleged that she received rape threats, verbal abuse and morphed images after speaking out against the alleged assault on her father and filing a police complaint.

A senior Delhi police officer confirmed to PTI that a fresh FIR has been registered under the charges of POCSO, but refused to share any more details, citing that it involves a minor.

Nishu alleged earlier that she received online threats following her complaint over the assault on her father.

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"I was ashamed of even stepping out. For a few weeks I could not go to school, I feel everyone is judging me. I hope police will take action," Nishu was quoted as saying outside the Parliament Street police station, as per PTI.

She alleged that she had faced verbal abuse and rape threats, and her images were morphed after speaking out about the assault and filing an FIR.

Swatantra Bhardwaj's viral video: 'Cracked the skull'

The development came after a video of Swatantra Bhardwaj went viral in which he purportedly claimed that, despite allegedly attacking the father of activist Nishu Azad, he didn't go to jail because of his political connections.

According to PTI, Bhardwaj, 22, who describes himself as a "kattar" (staunch) Hindu, claimed in the interview that he cracked the skull of the activist's (Nishu) father during a CJP protest at Jantar Mantar in July and got away with it because of his political connections, causing widespread outrage on social media.

"I cracked the skull of Nishu's father. Do you know which section this crime attracts? Section 307. He needed 60 stitches. The man was being taken away in an ambulance in a serious condition. His daughter was standing outside the police station and saying that she would die by suicide if her father didn't get justice. But I was not even jailed. The world should know this. I was out and about through the night," Bhardwaj reportedly said in the interview.

In the clip that drew attention to him, Bhardwaj also invoked several political leaders' names.

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"I have the blessings of Hanuman upon me. And secondly, Kapil Mishra is my elder brother. They say Kapil Mishra called and I was released. Chirag Paswan is my elder brother. How many leaders do you know? Do you know Modi ji? Modi ji is also my elder brother. I have everyone's support," he claimed.

However, there is no evidence to establish that the political leaders named by Bhardwaj intervened on his behalf in the case.

There are also photographs of Bhardwaj with political leaders, including Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Delhi minister Kapil Mishra and Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Chirag Paswan.

Paswan claimed on Friday that Bhardwaj misused his name and that of other leaders, saying he has lodged a complaint against Bhardwaj and demanded action.

"No action despite the accused admitting to an attack that could have been fatal sets a bad example; I take responsibility for ensuring justice for the family," Paswan said.

Swatantra Bhardwaj says it was 'self-defence'

Swatantra Bharadwaj clarified over the claim of assaulting the father of CJP activist Nishu Azad during a protest at Jantar Mantar, saying that the incident was an act of "self-defence."

Bharadwaj said that what was being described as an attack was an act of self-defence and claimed that he could have been lynched or killed if he had not acted.

His clarification came after a podcast clip surfaced on social media.

Bharadwaj told ANI,“What people are calling an attack was an act of self-defence. If I had not acted in self-defence, I could have been lynched by the mob or killed. There was no attempt to attack him. I have proof in the form of video.”

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“I was gheraoed by 10-15 people. When I acted in self-defence, he was hit on the head. As per his medical report from the Delhi Police, he did not suffer major injuries. I am cooperating with the ongoing investigation,” Swatantra Bhardwaj alleged.

Swatantra Bhardwaj also rejected the authenticity of the podcast clip being circulated on social media as fake.

“The podcast clip that is being shared on social media by Rahul Gandhi and others is fake. Those saying that I was released because of influence from Kapil Mishra, I want to tell them that Kapil Mishra and Chirag Paswan are like my brothers. People should understand what was said in sarcasm,” Swatantra Bhardwaj said.

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday extended his support to activist Nishu Aazad, accusing the Centre of shielding a criminal who allegedly attacked her father.

In a post on X, Gandhi responded to a plea from Aazad, who claimed that despite a viral video of the accused admitting to the crime, the Delhi Police has failed to take action for over a month and a half.

"Nishu, there's no need to panic. I'm with you. It's clear that you're being targeted because you raise your voice for the rights of your community and students," Rahul Gandhi posted.

Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi questioned the alleged inaction of the Delhi Police.

"Amit Shah's Delhi Police, on one hand, commits inhuman brutality against students. On the other hand, the criminal who smashed the head of a Dalit girl's father is roaming freely in the open. Narendra Modi ji, Amit Shah ji-why does such a criminal have the protection of you and the people in your party? Will there be action now, or will you keep shielding someone?" Gandhi wrote, concluding his post with“Jai Bhim. Jai Constitution.”

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AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also shared the video related to the Jantar Mantar protest posted by CJP on its X handle and questioned the alleged protection provided to Bharadwaj, who, according to the video, claimed to have attacked people during the demonstration.

He questioned whether freedom fighters such as Bhagat Singh had sacrificed their lives for a country where a Prime Minister would "openly protect such thugs".

(With inputs from ANI)

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