New Delhi, September 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Self-styled influencer Swatantra Bharadwaj was sent to one-day judicial custody on Sunday after being produced before a Delhi court through video conferencing in connection with an alleged assault on the father of a minor student protestor during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
Bharadwaj had allegedly claimed in a purported viral video that he physically assaulted the father of the minor, identified as Nishu Azad, during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protest. He was arrested by Delhi Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district on Friday.
The court order came a day after Delhi Police obtained one-day police custody of the accused.
Bharadwaj’s counsel, Umesh Sharma, alleged that the police had not followed standard legal procedure in producing his client before the court. He claimed the accused should have been presented before the jurisdictional magistrate within 24 hours of arrest, but was instead produced through video conferencing before a designated SC/ST court after the jurisdictional judge was unavailable.
The police had earlier assured protesters that Bharadwaj would be arrested within 72 hours under relevant provisions of the POCSO Act, SC/ST Act and attempt to murder provisions.
The issue triggered protests by the CJP outside Parliament Street Police Station. Azad Samaj Party chief and MP Chandra Shekhar, Purnea MP Pappu Yadav and the Indian Youth Congress also joined the agitation.
In the purported video, Bharadwaj allegedly claimed to have “cracked the skull” of the minor’s father and said he was released because of his political connections.
Meanwhile, Union Minister and LJP-RV chief Chirag Paswan said his name had been “misused” by Bharadwaj in the video. Paswan said he had filed an official complaint against him and would work to ensure justice for the minor and her family.
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