On Tuesday, 15th September, a Delhi court granted interim bail for three weeks to influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj in connection with an alleged assault on the Hinduphobic CJP activist Nishu Azad’s father and Ambedkarite ‘activist’ Sanjay Azad during the CJP-led protests at Jantar Mantar in June. Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler of Patiala House Court passed the order. A detailed order is awaited.
Bhardwaj had approached the court seeking regular bail, but the court granted him interim bail instead. The development came a day after the court decided to hold in-camera proceedings after being informed that two FIRs had been registered against Bhardwaj under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the POCSO Act.
A Delhi court on Tuesday (September 15, 2026) granted three weeks’ interim bail to Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj in connection with the alleged assault on the father of a student activist during a protest at Jantar Mantar, among other charges, sources said.…
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) September 15, 2026
The court was also informed that Bhardwaj had been arrested in connection with the FIR registered under the SC/ST Act and not in the separate POCSO case.
Delhi Court had sent Bhardwaj to Judicial custody
On Monday, 7th September, the same court had sent Bhardwaj to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the same alleged assault case. Bhardwaj was detained in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr on 4th September, hours after CJP members staged a protest outside the Parliament Street police station demanding his arrest. Another accused, Suraj Kumar, was also arrested in the case.
After Bhardwaj’s detention, Delhi Police added provisions of the SC/ST Act and criminal intimidation to the FIR. A separate POCSO case was also registered against him.
Bhardwaj reveals he acted in self-defence
The case came into focus after a video podcast in which Bhardwaj allegedly spoke about assaulting Sanjay Azad during the Jantar Mantar protest went viral. In the video, he also claimed to have political connections.
Bhardwaj later denied deliberately attacking Azad and said he had acted in self-defence. Speaking to the media, he said that a mob of around 25-30 people, including Sanjay Azad, had attacked him during the protest. He said that while trying to protect himself, the kada on his wrist may have hit Azad’s head.
A video also surfaced showing Bhardwaj being attacked by a group of people during the protest. Delhi Police personnel can be seen trying to pull him away from the crowd.
The Delhi High Court has recently rejected his habeas corpus plea challenging his arrest.
