Union Minister Chirag Paswan Files Complaint Against Swatantra Bharadwaj Over Jantar Mantar Assault Claims

Union Minister Chirag Paswan has filed a formal complaint against Swatantra Bharadwaj over allegations made in a podcast about an assault that occurred during a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Paswan, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief, expressed concern over the seriousness of such claims, stating that if someone had seriously injured another to the point of potentially fatal harm, an investigation should be conducted fairly by the Delhi Police to establish the facts.

In a statement to reporters in Patna, Paswan rejected any personal association with Bharadwaj, emphasizing that mere photographs taken with political figures do not imply a personal relationship. He alleged that his name was being exploited for political gain and announced that he was taking legal action against such misuse of his name.

The controversy intensified after Bharadwaj, while discussing the Jantar Mantar incident on a podcast, referred to Paswan and BJP leader Kapil Mishra as being like his "brothers." This remark fueled allegations that political influence had prevented proper actions from being taken against him. Swatantra Bharadwaj subsequently claimed that he would be booked under sections related to the SC/ST Act following a meeting with Delhi Police officials.