Multiple teams question Swatantra Bhardwaj over viral videos
The 22-year-old Bhardwaj was asked more than 100 questions during his remand, a police source said, adding that while he answered some of those, he did not respond to several others. According to sources, investigators showed Bhardwaj several of his viral videos as part of…
The 22-year-old Bhardwaj was asked more than 100 questions during his remand, a police source said, adding that while he answered some of those, he did not respond to several others. According to sources, investigators showed Bhardwaj several of his viral videos as part.
The sources said Bhardwaj showed no sign of remorse during his questioning. Bhardwaj was arrested on Friday after being detained in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr and sent to a daylong police custody by a Delhi court on Saturday.
What Happened
He was produced before Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler at his residence around 2 pm, while his legal-aid counsel appeared before the judge through video-conferencing. The development came a day after the Delhi Police added sections of the Scheduled Castes.
No FIR has been registered in the matter yet, a senior police officer said.
In a separate development, Supreme Court lawyer Amita Sachdeva got a complaint lodged with the Delhi Police against the student activist, alleging that she insulted Hindu deities through objectionable social-media posts.
A Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) delegation, accompanied by Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) chief and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad, met police officials on Friday and demanded action against Bhardwaj, including the addition of attempt-to-murder.
Key Details
A fresh FIR under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was also lodged on a complaint from the minor activist, who alleged that she was subjected to online threats and harassment after speaking out against the assault on her.
Several supporters of the self-proclaimed Hindutva influencer had gathered outside the Parliament Street police station on Saturday, demanding the withdrawal of the case against Bhardwaj and a fair investigation.
Investigators are also going through Bhardwaj’s social-media posts, videos and other digital material as part of the probe, the officials said.
The Delhi Police had earlier said the injuries suffered by the student activist’s father were “simple in nature”.
Why It Matters
He had subsequently claimed that he had acted in self-defence.
The police action followed outrage over a video podcast, in which Bhardwaj allegedly claimed that he had “cracked the skull” of the minor activist’s father during the protest.
What Reports Say
Coverage of the story so far points to:
Continued reporting by The Siasat Daily as more details emerge
