Swatantra Bhardwaj, an influencer and activist who came under scrutiny for his alleged remarks about attacking the father of a student protester during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) agitation, was arrested on Saturday and subsequently sent to one-day police custody.
Bhardwaj had been detained from his residence in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday amid growing pressure from CJP leaders and opposition figures seeking action against him. He was later taken into custody by the police and produced before a court, which sent him to police custody for one day.
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The arrest came after a protest at the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi on Friday. CJP leaders, accompanied by Lok Sabha MPs Chandra Shekhar and Pappu Yadav, gathered outside the police station and demanded that Bhardwaj be arrested over his alleged conduct during the agitation.
According to the report, the protesters pressed the Delhi Police to take immediate action. Police officials had assured the delegation that appropriate action would be taken within three days. However, Bhardwaj was detained within hours.
Police reportedly tracked him near Dhamra Nara village in Bulandshahr as he attempted to leave the area. His detention was followed by his formal arrest and subsequent court proceedings.
The controversy centres on Bhardwaj’s alleged comments during the CJP agitation, in which he was accused of boasting about having “cracked the skull” of the father of a student protester. The remarks triggered criticism and demands for legal action from political and activist groups.
The CJP and opposition leaders had stepped up their campaign for Bhardwaj’s arrest, with the issue becoming a point of confrontation outside the Parliament Street police station. Their protest put pressure on the authorities to act against the activist.
The case has also drawn attention because of the allegations mentioned in the FIRs registered against Bhardwaj. The latest developments indicate that the police have moved ahead with the case following his detention in Uttar Pradesh.
Bhardwaj’s arrest marks a significant development in the controversy that emerged from the CJP agitation. After being detained in Bulandshahr, he was brought before the court, which ordered one-day police custody.
The developments are expected to keep attention focused on the allegations against the activist and the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the remarks and the protests. Authorities will now question Bhardwaj during his period in police custody as the case proceeds.
The arrest followed sustained demands from CJP leaders and opposition representatives, who had publicly called for action against Bhardwaj. His detention, arrest and subsequent court production came less than a day after the political delegation confronted police officials in New Delhi.
