Swatantra Bharadwaj to be arrested within 72 hours, Delhi Police tells CJP

Representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Friday said Delhi Police had assured them that Swatantra Bharadwaj, accused of assaulting the father of student activist Nishu Azad during a protest at Jantar Mantar, would be arrested within 72 hours.

The assurance came a day after a video clip from an interview with Bharadwaj, who describes himself as a “kattar Hindu”, circulated widely online. In the clip, he appeared to claim that he had “cracked the skull” of Sanjay Kumar, Nishu's father, during the July 20 protest.

The CJP, which organised the demonstration, has been demanding Bharadwaj's arrest and alleging that Delhi Police failed to take adequate action against him.

Delhi Police, however, said on Thursday that 38-year-old Kumar suffered a simple head injury during a scuffle and rejected claims that his skull was fractured. Police said Bharadwaj and another accused, Suraj Kumar, were detained at the spot, questioned and served notices, and that a chargesheet would be filed.

On Friday, CJP co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, along with scores of supporters and MPs Chandrashekhar Azad and Pappu Yadav, reached the Parliament Street police station seeking action against Bharadwaj.

Nishu said police had assured the delegation that Bharadwaj would be arrested within 72 hours.

“We believe they will take action and not keep delaying it as they were doing,” she told reporters.

Nishu also alleged that she had faced verbal abuse and threats online following the incident and said she had lodged an FIR over it.

The delegation also sought the addition of attempt-to-murder, SC/ST Act and criminal intimidation provisions to the FIR relating to the alleged assault on Sanjay.

Rishabh, associated with the AICC law department, said police had agreed to consider the additional charges and had also assured them that a separate FIR would be registered over alleged online abuse and objectionable images targeting Nishu.

CJP co-convenor Saurav Das said the Additional DCP had assured the delegation that attempt-to-murder and SC/ST Act provisions would be added to the case.

Das also said police had assured them that an FIR would be registered over threats allegedly made against Nishu and that provisions of the POCSO Act would be added.

The CJP has also questioned claims made by Bharadwaj in the interview that political connections helped him avoid jail after the incident. He referred to Delhi minister Kapil Mishra and Union minister Chirag Paswan.

“If the goon is openly saying Kapil Mishra and Chirag Paswan made the calls and he was released, top leaders of BJP should clarify on this,” Das said.

The allegations made in the video and by the CJP could not be independently verified.

Das said CJP representatives would return to the police station if the police failed to fulfil the commitments made to them.