The CJP protest followed Bhardwaj’s remarks in a viral podcast in which he appeared to describe assaulting Sanjay Kumar and claimed he did not go to jail after the incident.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, September 4, 2026: The Delhi Police came under renewed pressure on Friday over its handling of an alleged assault during the Cockroach Janta Party’s Jantar Mantar protest, with CJP representatives claiming that officers assured them of Swatantra Bharadwaj’s arrest within 72 hours.
The assurance was reportedly given after around 50 CJP supporters marched to Parliament Street Police Station and staged a dharna demanding action against Bharadwaj, whom they accuse of assaulting Sanjay Kumar, the father of student activist Nishu Azad, during a confrontation at the protest site on June 23.
The protesters were joined by Azad Samaj Party leader Chandra Shekhar Azad, RJD leader Pappu Yadav and Youth Congress leader Akshay Lakra. While some leaders went inside the police station to meet officials, others remained outside and continued the demonstration.
The fresh protest came after a video clip from an interview featuring Bharadwaj went viral, bringing the three-month-old case back into the political spotlight. In the interview, Bharadwaj appeared to describe the assault on Kumar in graphic terms and claimed that he had not been jailed following the incident.
READ: ‘Cracked His Skull’: Hindutava Activist’s Jail-Free Boast Sparks Outrage
FIR registered after June clash
The case stems from a clash during the CJP’s sit-in at Jantar Mantar on June 23. According to the protesters, Kumar was assaulted during the confrontation and suffered head injuries.
An FIR was registered following the incident. Delhi Police said Bharadwaj and another accused, Suraj Kumar, were detained at the spot, questioned and subsequently served notices.
Police have maintained that the investigation is continuing and that a chargesheet will be filed.
CJP, however, has objected to Bharadwaj remaining out of custody and has repeatedly demanded his arrest. The organisation has also sought the addition of Section 307, which deals with attempt to murder, and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The protesters say the latest statements by Bharadwaj warrant a fresh examination of the circumstances surrounding the assault and the action taken by police.
Viral interview intensifies controversy
The dispute escalated after remarks made by Bharadwaj during The Casual Talk with Neha Singh Rathore, a nearly hour-long podcast.
Bhardwaj, who describes himself as a “Hindutva activist”, appeared to claim that he had “cracked the skull” of Sanjay Kumar. He referred to Section 307 and claimed that Kumar had suffered serious injuries, including requiring around 60 stitches, and had been taken away in an ambulance.
He also said he did not go to jail following the incident.
Bhardwaj referred to “Hanumanji’s blessings” while discussing his release and described BJP leaders Kapil Mishra and Chirag Paswan, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as his “elder brothers”. He also referred to claims that a call from Mishra had helped him avoid custody.
The comments quickly circulated on social media and became the immediate trigger for CJP’s latest mobilisation.
VIDEO | Delhi: CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka and others proceed to Parliament Street Police Station from Patel Chowk in connection with a case regarding injuries to one of their supporters during Jantar Mantar protests.
(Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/PxUEOLXC9y
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 4, 2026
Police reject serious-injury claims
Delhi Police have disputed the account of the injuries given by Bharadwaj.
Police said Kumar suffered a simple head injury during the scuffle and rejected claims that he sustained a fractured skull or required the treatment described in the interview. According to the police account, the injury was caused by a kada.
The police have also denied allegations of political interference in the case.
Officials have said the statements made in the viral interview will be examined as part of the investigation. They have maintained that Bharadwaj was detained and questioned after the incident and that the legal process is continuing.
Bhardwaj has since described the circulating clip as “fake” or sarcastic and claimed that he acted in self-defence after being surrounded by 10–15 people.
Protesters demand tougher charges
CJP members say the police response has been inadequate from the beginning.
Saurav Das, who addressed the protesters, said the organisation had repeatedly approached the police after the FIR was registered and demanded that the alleged assault be treated as an attempt to murder.
He also sought application of the SC/ST Act, citing Kumar’s Dalit background.
“Why are these criminals roaming openly in Delhi?” Das asked, alleging that the accused were now speaking publicly about the incident while the police had failed to take decisive action.
Ashutosh Ranka, another CJP supporter, said the group had repeatedly demanded the arrest of those accused in the assault.
He alleged that political influence had affected the police response and demanded the immediate arrest of Bharadwaj and the application of all relevant criminal provisions. The allegation of political interference has not been established.
Opposition joins CJP campaign
The controversy also drew opposition leaders into the protest.
Pappu Yadav accused the government of failing to protect Dalits, women and minorities and questioned the police response to the case.
He alleged that the authorities were failing in their constitutional duty to ensure justice and said the protesters would continue their campaign.
The demonstration was significantly smaller than CJP’s earlier Jantar Mantar agitation, but the reported police assurance of action within 72 hours has given the issue a fresh political dimension.
The immediate question is now whether Bharadwaj will actually be arrested within the timeframe cited by CJP representatives and whether the police will alter the charges in the June 23 FIR.
While CJP insists that Bharadwaj’s podcast remarks warrant arrest and tougher provisions, Delhi Police maintain that the case is being investigated on the basis of the FIR, medical evidence and other material collected during the probe.
The competing versions of the June confrontation remain at the heart of the dispute, with Friday’s protest putting the police response firmly under public and political scrutiny.
