Delhi Court Sends Hindutva Influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj to Police Custody Amid Controversy

Swatantra Bhardwaj, a Hindutva influencer, was remanded to police custody by a Delhi court following serious allegations of assault and online harassment. The case has drawn significant attention after Bhardwaj's controversial remarks about an incident involving a teenage activist's father. As the legal proceedings unfold, the police have expanded the charges against him, including provisions from the SC/ST Act and the POCSO Act. Activists and political leaders are demanding further action, highlighting the need for accountability in such cases. This developing story raises questions about the intersection of politics, social justice, and legal responsibility.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 5, 2026, 18:27 IST

Court Appearance and Charges

On Saturday, Swatantra Bhardwaj, a prominent Hindutva figure, appeared before a judge in Delhi, who subsequently ordered him to be held in police custody for one day.

Sources from the court indicated that Bhardwaj was presented at the residence of Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler around 2 PM.

His legal representative participated in the proceedings via video link.

Initially, Bhardwaj was expected to appear in person at the Patiala House courts.

Allegations and Arrest

The Delhi Police recently expanded the charges against Bhardwaj, incorporating elements of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation into the FIR. These charges stem from an alleged assault on the father of a teenage activist during a protest organized by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar in June.

Additionally, he faces accusations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Bhardwaj was apprehended in Bulandshahr on Friday, shortly after a protest by the CJP outside the Parliament Street Police Station demanding his arrest.

This protest was ignited by Bhardwaj's controversial remarks in an interview where he claimed to have 'cracked the skull' of the activist's father, Sanjay, during the protest on June 23, asserting that he avoided arrest due to his political ties.

Details of the Incident

In a video podcast, Bhardwaj stated, 'I cracked the skull... Do you know which section this crime attracts? Section 307. He needed 60 stitches.'

However, the Delhi Police later clarified that Sanjay's injuries were minor and resulted from a steel bracelet.

In response to the backlash, Bhardwaj later claimed he acted in self-defense during the incident.

On Friday, a new FIR was filed under the POCSO Act following a complaint from the minor activist, who alleged that she faced online threats and harassment.

Further Legal Actions

The police also invoked various sections of the BNS, including 351(3) for stalking, 78 for insulting a woman's modesty, and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.

The minor activist, who identifies as an atheist and humanitarian, reported being threatened with rape, verbally abused, and targeted with morphed images after she spoke out against the assault on her father and filed a police report.

Chandrashekhar Azad, the chief of the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) and MP from Nagina, visited the Parliament Street Police Station to urge police action against Bhardwaj.

The delegation called for the inclusion of charges such as attempted murder, criminal intimidation, and provisions of the SC/ST Act, along with a separate FIR addressing the alleged rape threats and online harassment directed at the girl.