{
  "id": 5691273,
  "title": "Swatantra Bhardwaj booked under POCSO Act: How ‘influencer’ tried to evade police",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/swatantra-bhardwaj-booked-under-pocso-act-how-influencer-tried-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T01:36:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/meerut/fresh-fir-against-swatantra-bhardwaj-under-pocso-act-how-influencer-tried-to-evade-police-in-up/articleshow/133783607.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nBhardwaj, 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.\n\nUpon 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.",
  "summary": "Social media influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj was apprehended in Bulandshahr on Friday. He had allegedly assaulted the father of a student activist during a protest. Fresh FIRs were registered against Bhardwaj under Pocso and SC/ST Acts. Bhardwaj had publicly bragged about his alleged assault and political connections. Delhi Police took him into custody after he stayed with a local resident.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times",
        "title": "Swatantra Bhardwaj detained after big CJP protest, POCSO case filed after ‘rape threats’ to minor",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/swatantra-bhardwaj-detained-after-big-cjp-protest-pocso-case-filed",
        "published": "2026-09-05T01:40:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "'A complaint & a warning': Supporters of Swatantra Bhardwaj stage protest in Delhi",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/a-complaint-a-warning-supporters-of-swatantra-bhardwaj-stage-protest",
        "published": "2026-09-05T08:45:26.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Jantar Mantar assault accused Swatantra Bhardwaj arrested in Delhi",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/jantar-mantar-assault-accused-swatantra-bhardwaj-arrested-in-delhi",
        "published": "2026-09-05T09:19:20.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}