Swatantra Bharadwaj Cites Self-Defence Over Jantar Mantar Protest Assault Claim

Activist and self-styled influencer Swatantra Bharadwaj has claimed that his alleged physical confrontation with Sanjay Kumar, the father of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) student activist Nishu Azad, was an act of self-defence during a protest held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Bharadwaj has been accused of assaulting Kumar during the demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janta Party. The clarification follows widespread attention after a clip from a podcast surfaced on social media, showing the influencer discussing the clash.

In the recorded podcast clip circulating online, Bharadwaj appeared to claim that he had cracked the skull of Nishu Azad's father and had managed to escape being jailed despite the incident. He questioned viewers in the video: "I cracked the skull of Nishu's father. Do you know which section this crime attracts? Section 307."

Responding to the controversy, Bharadwaj insisted that he never launched an unprovoked attack on Kumar. Denying the allegations, he said: "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."

Bharadwaj stated that he was cornered prior to the violence erupting at the protest venue. "There was no attempt to attack him. I have proofs in the form of video. I was gheroed by 10-15 people," Bharadwaj said of the situation surrounding the confrontation.

The influencer maintained that Kumar was struck only while he was actively shielding himself from the crowd. "When I acted in self-defence, he was hit on the head," Bharadwaj said, reiterating that his video evidence documents what took place.

Regarding the physical injuries sustained by Kumar during the Jantar Mantar clash, Bharadwaj cited official records from law enforcement. "As per his medical report from Delhi Police, he did not suffer major injuries. I am cooperating with the ongoing investigation," Bharadwaj confirmed.