New Delhi, 07 September (H.S.): The Patiala House Court in Delhi has sent Swatantra Bhardwaj, accused of assaulting and injuring the father of a protester during a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, to 14 days of judicial custody. Bhardwaj was produced before the court on Monday as his previous period of judicial custody was due to expire.

On September 6, the court had remanded Bhardwaj to judicial custody until September 7. Before that, he had been placed in police custody for one day. Swatantra Bhardwaj was arrested from Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, on September 4. The Delhi High Court is also scheduled to hear a petition challenging Bhardwaj’s arrest on Monday.

Bhardwaj was arrested after he allegedly admitted during a podcast that he had assaulted the father of a female student protester on the head. Following the podcast, members of the Kakroach Janta Party and workers of several political parties staged a protest outside the Parliament Street police station. The protesters argued that since Swatantra Bhardwaj had himself admitted to the alleged act during the podcast, an FIR should be registered against him. Following the demonstration, Bhardwaj was arrested in Bulandshahr.

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

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar