Self-styled social media influencer Swatantra Bharadwaj has been sent to 14 days of judicial custody by a Delhi court in connection with an alleged assault involving Sanjay Azad, the father of teenage Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist Nishu Azad.
The order was passed by the Patiala House Court on Monday after Bharadwaj’s earlier one-day police custody came to an end. He will remain in judicial custody until his next scheduled appearance before the court on September 21.
The development marks another significant turn in a case that has drawn attention following allegations of an assault on the father of a minor political activist and the subsequent detention of Bharadwaj.
Court sends Bharadwaj to judicial custody
Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler passed the custody order after Bharadwaj was produced before the court following the completion of his police remand.
Delhi Police had sought an extension of his custody for 14 days as investigators continued examining the allegations and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
However, the court ultimately sent Bharadwaj to judicial custody rather than granting the requested police custody extension.
Authorities had cited potential law-and-order concerns while presenting Bharadwaj before the court through video conferencing instead of bringing him physically to the courtroom.
Bharadwaj detained in Uttar Pradesh
The case escalated last week when Bharadwaj was detained in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday.
His detention came shortly after members and supporters of the CJP held a protest outside the Parliament Street police station in Delhi, demanding action against him over the alleged assault.
The police action followed growing pressure surrounding the case and allegations that Bharadwaj had attacked Sanjay Azad.
Following his detention, investigators expanded the legal provisions in the case. Sections relating to criminal intimidation and provisions under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were added to the FIR, according to the report.
A separate case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has also been registered against Bharadwaj.
Viral podcast brings Bharadwaj into spotlight
Bharadwaj came under scrutiny after a video podcast allegedly featuring him discussing the incident circulated widely on social media.
According to the allegations, he claimed during the podcast that he had assaulted the father of a CJP protester. He was also accused of referring to his political connections while discussing the matter.
The circulation of the video added momentum to demands for his arrest and intensified the political controversy surrounding the case.
The allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings, and the charges against Bharadwaj have not been established as proven facts.
Alleged victim suffered head injury
The alleged assault reportedly left Kumar with a head injury. Police initially described the injuries as simple in nature, according to reports.
The case has nevertheless gained wider attention because of the identities of those involved, the protest organised by the CJP and the subsequent addition of more serious legal provisions to the police case.
With Bharadwaj now in judicial custody, investigators are expected to continue examining the alleged assault, the circumstances surrounding the viral podcast and the claims made against him.
The next major development in the case is expected when Bharadwaj is produced before the Patiala House Court on September 21.
