New Delhi, September 05 (H.S.): The Patiala House Court in New Delhi on Saturday remanded Swatantra Bhardwaj, accused of assaulting and injuring the father of a protester during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, to one day of police custody.

Bhardwaj was arrested by Delhi Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr on September 4 and was produced before the Patiala House Court on Saturday. His arrest followed mounting controversy over the alleged assault and a podcast in which Bhardwaj reportedly spoke about the incident.

Delhi Police produced Bhardwaj before the court and sought his custody for interrogation in connection with the case. His arrest came after a podcast in which he allegedly admitted to attacking the father of a student protester during the Jantar Mantar demonstration.

Following the podcast, members and supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), along with workers of some political parties, staged a protest outside the Parliament Street Police Station. The protesters demanded that an FIR be registered against Bhardwaj, arguing that he had himself acknowledged the assault during the podcast.

Following the protest, Delhi Police traced and detained Bhardwaj in Bulandshahr on Friday. Reports said he had attempted to evade the police before being apprehended.

An FIR has been registered against Bhardwaj under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, along with other relevant provisions.

The controversy intensified after videos and photographs of Bhardwaj from the Jantar Mantar protest circulated widely on social media. Bhardwaj has maintained that he acted in self-defence during the confrontation, disputing allegations that he deliberately attacked the protester’s father.

The court’s decision to grant one-day police custody will allow investigators to question Bhardwaj and further examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault during the Jantar Mantar protest.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar