Delhi Court Grants Interim Bail to Right-Wing Influencer Swatantra Bharadwaj

A Delhi court has granted three weeks of interim bail to Swatantra Bharadwaj, a right-wing influencer accused of assaulting the father of a student activist. The order was issued by Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler, who set the bail bond and surety at 50,000 rupees each. Bharadwaj had been in judicial custody since September 4 after being detained in Bulandshahr.

The incident occurred on July 23 at Jantar Mantar during protests against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. Sanjay Kumar, the father of activist Nishu Aazad, was allegedly assaulted during the event. Bharadwaj was arrested following the circulation of a video in which he purportedly claimed to have cracked Kumar's skull and suggested that a phone call from Delhi minister Kapil Mishra helped him avoid initial detention. In response, Bharadwaj has claimed he acted in self-defence to avoid being lynched by a mob.

The legal proceedings involve charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation. While the Delhi Police initially described the injuries to the victim as simple in nature, members of the Cockroach Janta Party protested for more severe charges, including attempt to murder. Additionally, a separate case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against Bharadwaj. His legal counsel previously expressed concerns that he could be attacked by anti-national elements while in Tihar Jail.