CJP Protest assault: Swatantra Bhardwaj flees Bulandshahr as police hunt intensifies

Swatantra Bhardwaj, accused of assaulting the father of student protester during a Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar, managed to flee Bulandshahr hours after Delhi Police assured protesters that he would be arrested, sources said on Friday.

A Delhi Police team had reached Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr after investigators traced Bhardwaj's location to the district as part of their probe into the alleged assault. However, by the time the team moved to arrest him, Bhardwaj had reportedly left the area.

According to sources, Bhardwaj left Naithla village on a Bullet motorcycle and headed towards Khurja. He was reportedly wearing a helmet to conceal his identity.

Several Delhi Police teams in plain clothes were deployed across the area to locate him. During the search, investigators also questioned local journalists as they attempted to establish Bhardwaj's movements and possible whereabouts.

Efforts are currently underway to trace and catch him.

WHY DID DELHI POLICE REACH BULANDSHAHR?

The Delhi Police action came after growing demands for Bhardwaj's arrest over remarks he made in a podcast about the alleged assault of father of student protestor and CJP activist.

Following the circulation of the podcast clip, CJP, Congress and Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) leaders and workers approached Delhi Police at the Parliament Street police station seeking action against Bhardwaj.

CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, Congress student wing leader Vinod Jakhar and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad were among those who met police officials.

The leaders held discussions with Delhi Police for around two hours and demanded action against Bhardwaj. According to the account of the meeting, police agreed to register a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Police also said the father of student protester would undergo another medical examination. An attempt-to-murder charge could be considered based on the findings of the medical report, according to the assurances conveyed during the meeting.

Delhi Police also indicated that Bhardwaj would be arrested within 72 hours.

Following the meeting, the father of student protestor said police had assured them that a case had been registered under relevant charges and that Bhardwaj would be arrested within 72 hours.

WHAT DID BHARDWAJ SAY?

Bhardwaj was widely criticised after a podcast clip circulated on social media in which he appeared to claim that he had “cracked the skull” of Kumar during the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20.

He also claimed that Kumar required around 60 stitches and referred to Section 307, which deals with attempt to murder, while discussing the incident.

Bhardwaj, who describes himself as a “kattar Hindu” (hardline Hindu), has since denied attacking Kumar with an intent to harm him. He claimed he acted in self-defence after being surrounded by 10-15 people.

“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,” he said.

He claimed to have video evidence supporting his version of events and said he was cooperating with the investigation.

Bhardwaj also alleged that the podcast clip being circulated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others was “fake”. He rejected allegations that political influence had helped him avoid arrest.

With Bhardwaj now reportedly having left Bulandshahr before the Delhi Police team could arrest him, investigators are continuing efforts to trace his whereabouts and establish what happened during the Jantar Mantar protest.