New Delhi [India], September 17 (ANI): Patiala House Court on Thursday issued a warrant for the release of Swatantra Bhardwaj from Tihar Jail. He was granted 3 weeks’ interim bail on September 15.
He was arrested in a case of alleged assault on Sanjay Azad, who belongs to the SC Community.
Swatantra Bhardwaj was sent to judicial custody till September 21.
Special Judge SPS Laler issued the warrant for the release of Swatantra Bhardwaj from Tihar Jail.
The court issued the release warrant after verification of the surety furnished before the court. Earlier, the surety was not verified as per the report filed by Delhi Police. Thereafter, another surety was furnished.
He has been granted bail on furnishing a bail Bond of Rs. 50000 and one surety in the like amount.
Advocate Umesh Chandra Sharma appeared for Swatantra Bhardwaj and confirmed that the surety has been verified and a release warrant has been issued by the court. Swatantra Bhardwaj is to be released from the jail today evening, latest by 7 PM.
During the arguments on the bail application, the Counsel for the accused had submitted that this case is a misuse of law and legal provisions. The sections of SC ST Prevention of Atrocities Act have been invoked based on the supplementary statement of the complainant. This FIR was lodged on June 23, 2026, and there was no mention of the SC/ST Act.
Bhardwaj was detained from Bulandshahr on August 4 by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. Thereafter, he was brought to Delhi. He was arrested in the FIR lodged in connection with the attempt to murder of Sanjay Azad, who was allegedly attacked by Swatantra Bhardwaj and another person, Suraj.
On September 5, Special Judge (SC-ST Act) of Patiala House Court remanded Swatantra Bhardwaj to one day of police custody. He was produced at the residence of the concerned judge at Karkardooma Court complex.
Special Judge SPS Laler had remanded Swatantra Bhardwaj to one day of police custody after hearing the submissions of Delhi Police.
In View of safety and security concerns, the Accused was produced at the residence of the judge.
Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsel (Chief LADC) Piyush Sachdeva had appeared for Swatantra Bhardwaj through video conferencing.
As per the grounds of arrest, this matter came to light after a podcast interview during which Bhardwaj allegedly admitted to hitting Sanjay Azad on his head with a Kada he was wearing. This incident took place during the CJP Protest at Jantar Mantar on June 23, 2026.
The bail application of Swatantrata Bhardwaj was based on the subsequent action by the police. It is stated by Advocate Umesh Chandra Sharma that all the FIRs have already been quashed by the Supreme Court, and this FIR was registered on 23rd of June 2026.
It is further stated that subsequently, when politicians visited the police station at Parliament Street on the third of September, the police came up with the idea of implicating Swatantra Bhardwaj and took the supplementary statement of the complainant, Sanjay Kumar and arrested Swatantra Bhardwaj on the ground that offences under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act are being charged against him. He has been in custody since the third of September 2026. (ANI)
CJP protest assault case: Court issues warrant for release of Swatantra Bhardwaj from jail
