Delhi Police Deny Political Interference After Influencer's Viral Assault Admission
3 sources · India
Who reported this
- Scroll.in
- The Indian Express
- Hindustan Times
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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Every source for this story reports from India.
The Delhi Police have rejected allegations of political interference following a viral video in which a right wing influencer, Swatantra Bhardwaj, claimed to have brutally assaulted the father of a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protester. In the video, Bhardwaj allegedly boasted about cracking the skull of Sanjay Kumar during a June 23 protest at Jantar Mantar and claimed he avoided jail because of a call from BJP leader Kapil Mishra. Members of the CJP gathered at the Parliament Street police station to demand justice and question why the admission had not led to further action.
Delhi Police DCP Sachin Sharma stated that the claims of a skull crack and political interference are baseless. According to police, Sanjay Kumar sustained a head injury from a metal kada, or bracelet, during a scuffle. Medical examinations at RML Hospital categorized the injuries as simple in nature. Police confirmed that a case was registered at the Parliament Street police station and that two men, Suraj Kumar and Swatantra Bhardwaj, were detained, questioned, and served notices. A chargesheet is expected to be filed in court soon.
In a separate incident, two women journalists, Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan, alleged they were assaulted by Delhi Police at the Saket Police Station. They claimed the assault occurred after they attempted to ask Chief Minister Rekha Gupta a question at a private hospital event. Shaheen Khan further alleged that the violence intensified after police discovered the journalists were Muslim. Several political leaders from the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, as well as various press bodies, have called for an investigation into these allegations. The Delhi Police have not yet commented on the journalists' claims.
How each side framed it
- Left
- This report focused on the allegations of police brutality and the specific claim that the assault on journalists was motivated by their religion.
- Centre
- These reports focused on the official police denials and the procedural details of the investigation.
- Centre-right
- These reports highlighted the viral nature of the influencer's claims while emphasizing the police's rejection of political interference.
Sources
- Centre-right Hindustan Times: ‘Sar faade hain': Hindutva 'influencer' boasts assault on CJP protester's father, Delhi Police says he didn't
- Centre-right Hindustan Times: CJP protest news LIVE Updates: Heavy security outside Parliament Street police station
- Left Scroll.in: Delhi: Two women journalists allege police assaulted them for asking CM Rekha Gupta a question
- Centre The Indian Express: Jantar Mantar assault case: Claims of political interference baseless, says Delhi Police
- Centre The Indian Express: Beaten by Delhi cops, targeted for our surnames, allege women journalists; police deny charges
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.