Bulandshahr (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 5 (ANI): Delhi Police on Friday registered a fresh FIR against Swatantra Bhardwaj under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act following a complaint in which the victim is a minor, according to police.
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has also been added to the earlier FIR registered in connection with the case.
Delhi Police said Bhardwaj has not been arrested so far.
The development comes after a video of Bhardwaj went viral in which he purportedly claimed that, despite allegedly attacking the father of activist Nishu Azad, he didn't go to jail because of his political connections.
Swatantra Bharadwaj clarified an alleged claim of assaulting the father of CJP activist Nishu Azad during a protest at Jantar Mantar, saying that the incident was an act of "self-defence."
Bharadwaj said that what was being described as an attack was an act of self-defence and claimed that he could have been lynched or killed if he had not acted.
His clarification came after a podcast clip surfaced on social media.
Bharadwaj told ANI, "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. There was no attempt to attack him. I have proof in the form of video. I was gheraoed by 10-15 people. When I acted in self-defence, he was hit on the head. As per his medical report from Delhi Police, he did not suffer major injuries. I am cooperating with the ongoing investigation.”
He also rejected the authenticity of the podcast clip being circulated on social media, alleging that it was fake.
“The podcast clip that is being shared on social media by Rahul Gandhi and others is fake. Those saying that I was released because of influence from Kapil Mishra, I want to tell them that Kapil Mishra and Chirag Paswan are like my brothers. People should understand what was said in sarcasm,” he said.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday extended his support to activist Nishu Aazad, accusing the Centre of shielding a criminal who allegedly attacked her father.
In a post on X, Gandhi responded to a plea from Aazad, who claimed that despite a viral video of the accused admitting to the crime, the Delhi Police has failed to take action for over a month and a half.
"Nishu, there's no need to panic. I'm with you. It's clear that you're being targeted because you raise your voice for the rights of your community and students," Rahul Gandhi posted.
Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, Gandhi questioned the alleged inaction of the Delhi Police.
"Amit Shah's Delhi Police, on one hand, commits inhuman brutality against students. On the other hand, the criminal who smashed the head of a Dalit girl's father is roaming freely in the open. Narendra Modi ji, Amit Shah ji—why does such a criminal have the protection of you and the people in your party? Will there be action now, or will you keep shielding someone?" Gandhi wrote, concluding his post with "Jai Bhim. Jai Constitution."
Earlier on Friday, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) launched a protest in the national capital, demanding legal action against Swatantra Bharadwaj.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also shared the video related to the Jantar Mantar protest posted by CJP on its X handle and questioned the alleged protection provided to Bharadwaj, who, according to the video, claimed to have attacked people during the demonstration.
He questioned whether freedom fighters such as Bhagat Singh had sacrificed their lives for a country where a Prime Minister would "openly protect such thugs". (ANI)
Fresh FIR registered against Jantar Mantar assault accused Swatantra Bhardwaj under POCSO Act, SC/ST Act added to earlier case
