Swatantra Bhardwaj in 14-day judicial custody for Jantar Mantar assault
India
Swatantra Bhardwaj, a self-styled right-wing influencer, has been sent to 14-day judicial custody after allegedly assaulting Sanjay Kumar, the father of a teen activist, during a Cockroach Janta Party protest at Jantar Mantar in June.
Police called Kumar's injuries "simple," but the incident still sparked plenty of attention.
Bhardwaj faces SC/ST and POCSO probes
Bhardwaj was arrested in Bulandshahr after public protests pushed for action.
Right after his arrest, police added new charges under the SC/ST Act and criminal intimidation, following outrage over a podcast where he reportedly admitted hurting Kumar but later said it was self-defense.
On top of this case, Bhardwaj is also facing a separate investigation under the POCSO Act.