Swatantra Bhardwaj booked under POCSO Act: How ‘influencer’ tried to evade police

Bulandshahr police have apprehended influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj, who was accused of assaulting a student activist's father during the CJP protest in Delhi's Jantar Mantar in July. The incident occurred after CJP co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, along with supporters and politicians, demanded stricter sections in the assault case. A fresh FIR was registered against Bhardwaj under POCSO Act, and sections of SC/ST Act were also added, sources reported.

Bhardwaj, who boasted about his "political connections" and claimed he had already served time in jail, arrived in Bulandshahr in an attempt to evade arrest. Local residents in Naithla village informed TOI that Bhardwaj stayed with a local family there and interacted with journalists, repeating his version of events surrounding the CJP protest.

Upon learning about Bhardwaj's presence, local police received information from WhatsApp media groups and sent a team to apprehend him. However, the influencer had already left before they arrived. The case has raised concerns about the safety of activists and the use of political influence to evade justice.