Police accuse Bhardwaj of assaulting Sanjay Kumar, father of teenage CJP activist Nishu Azad. The case gained fresh attention after a podcast clip in which Bhardwaj appeared to boast about the assault, though he later claimed self-defence.
BY PC Bureau
September 7, 2026: A Patiala House court on Monday remanded Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj to 14 days’ judicial custody in connection with the alleged assault of a man during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar.
Bhardwaj was produced through video conference before Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler after his one-day police remand ended. The court remanded him to judicial custody until September 21.
Delhi Police accuse Bhardwaj of assaulting Sanjay Kumar, also known as Sanjay Azad, 38, the father of teenage CJP activist Nishu Azad, during a confrontation at Jantar Mantar.
Most accounts place the incident on June 23, 2026, although some subsequent reports have referred to July.
The case gained fresh attention after a podcast clip circulated in which Bhardwaj appeared to claim that he had “cracked the skull” of Kumar and that the latter required around 60 stitches. He also appeared to suggest that political connections, including an alleged link to BJP leader Kapil Mishra, had prevented his arrest.
Bhardwaj subsequently maintained that he acted in self-defence after being surrounded.
Police, however, have disputed the more serious description of Kumar’s injuries. Investigators have said he suffered a simple head injury, allegedly caused by a steel bracelet, or kada, during a scuffle, and have rejected claims of a skull fracture. Police have also denied any political interference in the case.
An FIR was registered on the day of the incident. Bhardwaj and another man, identified as Suraj, were detained at the spot and later released on notice.
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VIDEO | Delhi: Swatantra Bhardwaj sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the assault on the father of a student activist during a protest at Jantar Mantar, among other charges.
Swati Khanna, counsel, shares an update. pic.twitter.com/7zcvbOUHck
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 7, 2026
Case expands
The matter intensified on September 4 when CJP activists protested outside the Parliament Street police station, demanding Bhardwaj’s arrest and stronger charges.
Following the protest, police added provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation to the original assault case.
A separate POCSO case was also registered on a complaint by the teenage activist alleging online threats, harassment and stalking. Bhardwaj and unidentified social-media users were named in that case.
Bhardwaj was subsequently detained in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, on September 4–5 and brought to Delhi. He was initially placed in police custody for a day before being sent to judicial custody.
Issues still under investigation
While Monday’s remand establishes Bhardwaj’s continued custody until September 21, several central issues remain contested.
These include the exact nature and severity of Kumar’s injuries, whether the confrontation amounted to an assault or an act of self-defence, and whether there was any delay or external influence in the initial police action.
Those questions will have to be determined through the investigation and judicial process. The statements made in the podcast, by themselves, do not establish the facts of the case.
