Archive · 7 Sep 2026
Delhi High Court to Hear Swatantra Bhardwaj Arrest Plea
The Delhi High Court will hear Swatantra Bhardwaj’s request against his arrest.
He was detained in Bulandshahr on September 4.
Police accuse him of allegedly assaulting the father of a student activist during a protest in June.
A magistrate sent him to judicial custody for one day.
Police have added charges under the SC/ST Act and for criminal intimidation.
They have also registered a POCSO case against him.
The case gained attention after Bhardwaj allegedly said in an interview that he had seriously injured the man.
The student later said she received threats and abusive messages after speaking about the incident.
The Delhi High Court agreed to urgently hear Swatantra Bhardwaj’s habeas corpus petition challenging his arrest.
Bhardwaj was detained in Bulandshahr on September 4 over an alleged assault during a June protest at Jantar Mantar.
A magistrate sent him to one-day judicial custody after he was produced by video conference on Sunday.
Delhi Police added provisions under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation to the FIR.
A separate POCSO case was also registered, following allegations and Bhardwaj’s claim that he had assaulted the student activist’s father.
- Who
- Swatantra Bhardwaj, the Delhi Police, the Delhi High Court, and Sanjay Kumar, whose alleged assault is under investigation.
- What
- The Delhi High Court agreed to urgently hear Bhardwaj’s habeas corpus petition challenging his arrest.
- When
- The petition was listed for urgent hearing on Monday; Bhardwaj was detained on September 4 and sent to one-day judicial custody on Sunday.
- Where
- The proceedings are in the Delhi High Court; the alleged assault occurred during a protest at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, and Bhardwaj was detained in Bulandshahr.
- Why
- Bhardwaj is challenging his custody in a case involving an alleged assault, additional FIR provisions, and a separate POCSO case.
- Petitioner
- Swatantra Bhardwaj
- Court
- Delhi High Court
- Bench
- Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia
- Detention date
- September 4
- Alleged incident
- The alleged assault on Sanjay Kumar during a June 23 protest at Jantar Mantar
- Police action
- Bhardwaj was sent to one-day judicial custody, and police obtained one-day custodial interrogation
- Additional proceedings
- The FIR includes provisions under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation; a POCSO case was also registered