Delhi court sends Swatantra Bhardwaj to 14-day judicial custody
A Delhi court has remanded Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj to 14 days in judicial custody following his arrest for an alleged assault. The charges include criminal intimidation and violations under the SC/ST Act and the POCSO Act.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing tensions regarding political influence, social activism, and the legal accountability of public figures in India.
A Delhi court on Monday (September 7, 2026) remanded Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj to 14 days in judicial custody in connection with the alleged assault of the father of a student during a protest at Jantar Mantar in July organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler of the Patiala House Courts passed the order after Mr. Bhardwaj was produced before the court following the completion of his one-day police custody.
The court had remanded him to police custody for a day on Saturday (September 5). He will be produced before the court again on September 21.
Mr. Bhardwaj was detained in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday (September 4), a few hours after the CJP held a demonstration outside the Parliament Street police station demanding his arrest in connection with the alleged assault.
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2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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