Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj detained after viral assault clip; Chirag Paswan’s party files complaint for ‘falsely’ naming him

LJP denies involvement, backs activist's family

The LJP (Ram Vilas) has denied any involvement in the incident and alleged that Bhardwaj had "falsely" invoked Paswan's name.

The party said Paswan had instead supported student activist Nishu Azad and her injured father, Sanjay Kumar.

Paswan has alleged that Bhardwaj misused his name and demanded action against him.

"The fact that no action has been taken despite the accused in such an attack admitting to their crime—while this attack could have proven fatal—sets an extremely wrong precedent. I take personal responsibility for ensuring justice for the victim's family and will make certain that they receive it," Paswan told the media.

Bhardwaj detained in Bulandshahr

Bhardwaj, who has been accused of assaulting Sanjay Kumar during a demonstration at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, was detained in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, on September 4 after a video in which he allegedly spoke about the incident went viral on social media.

Police teams traced him to the area near Dhamra Nara village and detained him for questioning.

His detention came after renewed attention to the case following the circulation of a podcast clip in which Bhardwaj allegedly discussed the assault on Kumar, the father of student protester Nishu Azad.

What happened at Jantar Mantar?

The incident dates back to a CJP protest against examination paper leaks at Jantar Mantar on June 23.

According to Delhi Police, Kumar sustained a head injury during a confrontation at the demonstration.

The FIR reportedly states that Kumar was recording the protest on his mobile phone when an argument broke out over the filming, leading to the confrontation.

Viral podcast clip sparks controversy

The controversy intensified after a podcast clip featuring Bhardwaj went viral.

In the clip, he allegedly claimed that he assaulted Kumar and used the phrase "cracked" his skull. He also allegedly suggested that he avoided jail because of political connections.

The remarks triggered demands from the CJP and Opposition parties for his arrest and stronger action.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned why Bhardwaj had not been jailed and alleged that he was being protected because of political connections.

Delhi Police, however, denied allegations of political interference and maintained that the investigation had been conducted according to legal procedure.

Bhardwaj claims self-defence

Bhardwaj has denied deliberately attacking Kumar and maintained that he acted in self-defence after being surrounded by 10 to 15 people.

"What people are calling an attack was an act of self-defence. If I had not acted in self-defence, I could have been lynched by the mob or killed," he said.

He also claimed that he had video evidence to support his version of events.

Bhardwaj further alleged that the podcast clip circulated by Rahul Gandhi and others was "fake" and denied receiving any political protection.

Police are now expected to question Bhardwaj over the alleged assault, his remarks in the podcast and his claims regarding political influence.