Swatantra Bhardwaj detained after Delhi protest over assault allegation

Swatantra Bhardwaj was detained on Friday after the Cockroach Janta Party protested outside Parliament Street police station over the alleged assault of a teen Dalit activist’s father during its June protest.

The activist said her father was injured in the episode and that a complaint had already been filed. She said police had initially not acted on it, but detained Bhardwaj within hours of the group’s latest protest. Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) chief and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad, along with MP Pappu Yadav, joined the demonstration.

Bhardwaj had said on a podcast that he had “cracked the skull” of the activist’s father, and claimed he had not been jailed. The activist said her father needed justice and urged political parties not to politicise the matter.

“We gave them 72 hours … but within two and a half hours, they detained him,” she said, calling it a step towards victory. She said police had assured her that charges would be filed within seven days.