After influencer boasts of 'cracking man's skull' at CJP protest, an FIR twist

In a viral podcast, Swatantra Bhardwaj is seen brazenly boasting that he 'cracked open the skull' of the father of a student protester during the CJP agitation, but did not even go to jail as he had political connections.Activist and influencer Swatantra BhardwajA bold claim by an activist that he "cracked open the skull" of the father of a student protester during the Jantar Mantar agitation, but "did not even go to jail", has triggered a fresh row between the BJP and the opposition. In a viral podcast, Swatantra Bhardwaj is seen brazenly boasting of his alleged links with top BJP leaders that helped him avoid arrest. His remarks have sparked an uproar, even as Delhi Police said the man's injuries were not serious and that Bhardwaj had already been questioned in connection with the incident.Bhardwaj has been accused of assaulting Sanjay Kumar, the father of the student protester, during the Cockroach Janta Party-led agitation at Jantar Mantar over exam paper leaks. As per the FIR, exclusively accessed by India Today, the incident happened on June 23. Bhardwaj, a resident of Patna's Kankarbagh, was detained but later released.WHAT DID SWATANTRA BHARDWAJ CLAIM IN PODCAST?In the podcast, Bhardwaj is seen casually claiming that he cracked the skull of the protester's father, who needed 60 stitches. "Do you know which section this crime attracts? Section 307 (attempt to murder). He was almost dying in the ambulance," Bhardwaj, who has a sizeable Instagram following of 1.84 lakh users, said in the podcast."But I was not even jailed. The world should know this. I was roaming around all night," he further said. Bhardwaj, who describes himself in his profile as a "Swatantra Sanatani Yodha", also went on to claim that he had the backing of several politicians. When asked about the baton he was seen carrying at the CJP protest, Bhardwaj replied with a smirk, "Can you see my shoe? This shoe is of the Delhi Police. I didn't fill out any form, but automatically I roam around like Delhi Police."The CJP has previously alleged that several unidentified individuals in plainclothes were seen wielding batons and assaulting protesters during the stir. Amid mounting outrage over his brazen remarks, Bhardwaj clarified that he was forced to act in self-defence."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 video proof," ANI quoted Bhardwaj as saying.RAHUL GANDHI ATTACKS PM MODI, AMIT SHAHAs the podcast went viral, the student protester appealed to Rahul Gandhi for help. In an emotional video on X, the girl said people like Bhardwaj, who openly display no fear of the law, should be jailed.The Leader of the Opposition reacted promptly. Training his guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, Gandhi questioned why Bhardwaj was not jailed and asked whether he enjoyed political protection."There's no need to panic. I am with you," Gandhi assured the girl."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," Gandhi tweeted.Tagging PM Modi and Shah, Gandhi asked, "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?"CJP DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ARRESTThe CJP also lashed out at Delhi Police for not acting against Bhardwaj despite his "open admission". On Friday, CJP co-convenors Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and other politicians protested outside the Parliament Street police station to seek justice for the student protester and her father.Das said Sanjay Kumar's "skull was cracked open", asserting that the nature of the wound warranted an attempt-to-murder charge. He alleged that police had refused to add the charge to the FIR, which would have led to Bhardwaj's immediate arrest."DCP Sachin Sharma and ACP Ajay Sharma flatly refused. Not just this, they told us on our faces, 'go get a court order'," Das tweeted.Reacting to Das's hard-hitting post, Delhi Police rejected claims that Kumar had suffered a fractured skull, saying the injuries were "simple in nature".Police said the head injury was from a kada, or bangle, during a scuffle. A case was registered, following which Suraj Kumar (24) and Swatantra Bhardwaj (21) were detained and questioned, police said."Due legal action has been taken, and a chargesheet will be filed soon. Any allegation of undue influence or interference in the matter is factually incorrect and baseless," the statement said.WHAT DOES DELHI POLICE FIR SAY?The FIR, accessed by India Today, provides key details of the sequence of events that unfolded on June 23. As per the FIR, the incident took place around 5.30 pm.In his complaint, Kumar said he was recording the protest on his phone when a youth confronted him. Kumar told the youth that he was not recording him, but filming the protest. As the argument escalated, 2-3 other men allegedly arrived at the spot and assaulted Kumar.Kumar alleged that he was punched on the head several times and was hit with a hard object, resembling an iron bangle. As police reached the spot, they caught Suraj and Swatantra Bhardwaj, while others fled.Kumar was later taken to RML Hospital for a medical examination. The medical report recorded "two lacerated wounds on his head", according to the FIR.The police eventually registered a case under Sections 115(2), 126(2) and 3(5) of the BNS.- EndsPublished By: Abhishek DePublished On: Sep 4, 2026 11:25 IST