New Delhi: In a significant development in the Jantar Mantar assault case, accused Swatantra Bhardwaj was sent to one-day judicial custody by the Patiala House Court on Sunday. The Delhi Police had previously arrested Bhardwaj and secured a one-day police remand in connection with the alleged physical assault on Sanjay Azad, the father of minor activist Nishu Azad.
Following the expiration of his police custody on September 6, Bhardwaj was presented before the judge via video conferencing. The court subsequently remanded him to judicial custody for one day. He is scheduled to be produced in court again on Monday, where the Delhi Police is expected to seek further remand for detailed interrogation.
According to Piyush Jain, the legal counsel representing the accused, the police intentionally opted for a virtual court hearing to avoid confronting the media and lawyers at the court premises. Meanwhile, high drama unfolded outside the Patiala House Court as Bhardwaj’s supporters gathered in large numbers. Carrying hoardings and raising slogans, the supporters demanded his immediate release, claiming that he has been deliberately framed in a fabricated case.
The Delhi Police has tightened its legal noose around the accused by adding stringent sections to the First Information Report (FIR). Following widespread protests at the Parliament Street police station, charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, along with criminal intimidation, have been officially registered against him.
The controversy stems from a protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar, where Sanjay Azad was allegedly brutally attacked. The issue gained massive political traction after a podcast video surfaced in which Bhardwaj purportedly boasted about inflicting severe head injuries on the victim.
Amid these legal proceedings, Nishu Azad has publicly pleaded for immediate police protection for her family. Taking to social media, she alleged that unidentified miscreants created a ruckus and pelted stones outside her residence. Tagging the Delhi and Ghaziabad Police in a video statement, she cited a severe threat to her life from Bhardwaj. “I request the police officials to provide necessary security as I am deeply concerned for my safety. Your prompt assistance will be highly appreciated,” she appealed.