The Delhi High Court will hear today, September 7, a habeas corpus petition filed by right wing influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj challenging his arrest in connection with the alleged assault of the father of a student activist during a protest at Jantar Mantar. A bench headed by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya agreed to take up the matter urgently after Bhardwaj’s lawyer, Umesh Sharma, told the court that he had been in custody for three days and argued that his detention was illegal.
Bhardwaj was arrested by the Delhi Police Crime Branch in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, on September 5. He was brought to Delhi after being detained following protests by supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party outside the Parliament Street police station, where demonstrators had demanded action against him over the alleged assault. A Delhi court subsequently sent him to police custody for a day before he was remanded to judicial custody on September 6.
The case relates to an incident during a Jantar Mantar protest in June involving Sanjay Kumar, the father of a teenage student activist. Bhardwaj had discussed the confrontation publicly in a podcast and allegedly claimed that he had attacked Kumar and seriously injured him. He has maintained that his actions were in self defence. The incident drew renewed attention after the video circulated widely and protesters demanded stronger criminal action against him.
The legal case has also expanded beyond the original assault allegations. Bhardwaj was Initially booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to causing simple hurt and wrongful restraint. Police later added provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act. A separate FIR has also been registered under the POCSO Act and for criminal intimidation following allegations of threats directed at the minor activist. Police are also examining whether the available medical evidence could support more serious charges.
The arrest has triggered a political and public controversy, with Bhardwaj’s supporters protesting against the police action while the complainant’s side has demanded stronger action. The case has also raised questions about Bhardwaj’s own public statements, including his reported claims of having attacked the victim and his assertions of political connections. BJP leader Chirag Paswan has denied the association claimed by Bhardwaj and has separately complained about the alleged misuse of his name.
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Today’s High Court hearing will therefore focus specifically on the legality of Bhardwaj’s detention, while the underlying assault case and the additional criminal allegations remain under investigation. The habeas corpus plea does not itself determine Bhardwaj’s guilt or innocence in the assault case, but seeks judicial scrutiny of whether his arrest and continued custody have been lawful.
