Jantar Mantar Assault Row: Delhi Police Promise Action in 72 Hours Following Protests

Members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), joined by Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) MP Chandrashekhar Azad, staged a demonstration outside the Parliament Street police station on Friday, demanding immediate punitive measures against Swatantra Bhardwaj over the alleged assault of an activist’s father at Jantar Mantar.

Speaking to the media, Nishu Azad, daughter of the injured victim Sanjay, stated that senior law enforcement officers had assured her group that Bhardwaj would be taken into custody within 72 hours. Nishu also reported lodging a police complaint regarding severe online abuse and rape threats directed at her by alleged supporters of the accused, adding that the trauma had disrupted her schooling and daily life.

CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka intensified calls for stringent charges, citing a viral podcast segment in which Bhardwaj reportedly discussed the altercation and alluded to political backing. Ranka called for escalating the charges, while Das questioned the absence of earlier arrests. The controversy recently drew wider political attention after key opposition figures, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, expressed support for the complainant and criticized police handling of the probe.

In his defense, Bhardwaj rejected the assault accusations, asserting that his actions were strictly in self-defense after being cornered by a crowd of 10 to 15 individuals. He claimed he feared mob lynching during the incident and dismissed the podcast clip, describing references to political links as sarcastic remarks taken out of context.

Addressing the claims, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) stated that medical examination reports (MLC) showed Sanjay sustained “simple injuries” caused by an iron bangle (kada) rather than an offensive weapon, refuting claims of a fractured skull as unfounded. Delhi Police confirmed that an official case remains under investigation at Parliament Street police station, adding that notices had been issued, interrogations completed, and a chargesheet is being prepared for the court without any political bias or interference.