Influencer boasts of 'not being jailed' after 'cracking skull' during CJP protest
A self-styled influencer named Swatantra Bhardwaj is under scrutiny after claiming in a video that political connections helped him avoid jail following an alleged assault. While opposition leaders have demanded an investigation into potential political protection, Delhi Police have denied that the victim suffered serious injuries.
Why it matters
The case raises significant questions about political accountability, the influence of social media figures, and the impartiality of law enforcement in India.
NEW DELHI: Opposition parties have targeted the BJP after a video surfaced in which self-styled influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj claimed that a phone call from Delhi minister Kapil Mishra helped him avoid jail after he allegedly attacked the father of a student protester.Bhardwaj has been accused of assaulting Sanjay Kumar, the father of student activist Nishu Azad, during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar.In the video, Bhardwaj appears to speak about the alleged attack and claims to have the backing of several political leaders, including Mishra, Union minister Chirag Paswan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi questioned why Bhardwaj was not jailed and asked whether he enjoyed political protection."I cracked the skull of Nishu's father. Do you know which section this crime attracts? Section 307. He needed 60 stitches.
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