NEW DELHI: “Feel the power!” influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj posted a photograph flaunting his kada on Instagram, days after allegedly boasting in a podcast about “cracking” the skull of a CJP protester’s father during a scuffle at Jantar Mantar.The Instagram story came around the time Delhi Police issued a clarification on the case, saying Sanjay Kumar, father of student protester Nishu Azad, suffered a head injury during the CJP protest but rejecting claims that his skull had been fractured.In the podcast video that triggered a political row, Bhardwaj is heard claiming, “I cracked the skull of Nishu’s father,” while alleging that his political connections had helped him avoid jail.
He claimed that a call from Delhi minister Kapil Mishra had helped him remain free and referred to Mishra, Chirag Paswan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his “elder brothers”, claiming to enjoy their support.Delhi Police rejected allegations of political interference as “factually incorrect and baseless”, saying due legal action had been taken against Bhardwaj and another accused.According to police, Kumar, 38, a Ghaziabad resident, sustained a head injury during a scuffle at the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar on June 23. The injury was caused by a kada worn by one of the alleged assailants and not by a weapon, police said.Kumar was examined at RML Hospital, where his injuries were described as simple in nature. Police said claims that his skull had been fractured were not supported by the medical records.A case was registered at Parliament Street police station based on Kumar’s complaint. Police said Suraj Kumar, 24, and Bhardwaj, 21, were detained from the protest site, served notices and interrogated during the investigation.“Due legal action has been taken, and chargesheet would be filed before the competent court soon,” police said, adding that the matter had been handled strictly according to law and procedure.The Cockroach Janta Party, meanwhile, demanded stronger action against Bhardwaj, describing his statements in the podcast as an “open admission”. Party spokesperson Saurav Das said CJP members would visit Parliament Street police station on Friday to seek justice for Kumar and his daughter Nishu.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also questioned why Bhardwaj had allegedly remained free despite his purported statements in the video. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and TMC MP Mahua Moitra also targeted the BJP over the controversy.Nishu, who has expressed concerns about her family’s safety, said she would continue her fight against injustice and casteism and would join her father during the visit to the police station.Police have maintained that there was no undue influence or interference in the case and said a chargesheet would be filed before the competent court soon.
