New Delhi, September 5: Delhi Police has arrested social media influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj in connection with an alleged assault on the father of a minor activist during a protest in the national capital.Bhardwaj was detained in Uttar Pradesh on Friday and was subsequently arrested by Delhi Police.
He was produced before the concerned judge at the Karkardooma court complex on Saturday and was remanded to one-day police custody.Security arrangements were strengthened around the Parliament Street police station after supporters of Bhardwaj assembled there to protest his arrest.
Police put up barricades at several points and deployed paramilitary personnel as a precaution.In a separate development, Delhi Police registered another FIR against Bhardwaj under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act following a complaint by the minor activist alleging online threats and harassment.
The case also invokes relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.Police had earlier expanded the provisions in the FIR related to the alleged assault by adding sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation.
The case relates to an alleged confrontation during a protest held on July 20. Bhardwaj had reportedly made claims about injuring the activist’s father during an interview. He later said in a podcast that his actions were in self-defence.
Delhi Police has maintained that the injuries suffered by Sanjay Kumar were simple in nature and were allegedly caused by a steel bracelet.
The CJP had staged a protest outside the Parliament Street police station on Friday, seeking action against Bhardwaj and demanding that additional charges, including those related to attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and the SC/ST Act, be considered.The investigation into the allegations is underway.
