A Delhi Court has remanded Swatantra Bhardwaj to one day of police custody in connection with the alleged assault of the father of a teenage Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist during a Jantar Mantar protest in July.

Bhardwaj was detained in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, hours after the CJP staged a protest outside the Parliament Street Police Station demanding his arrest. The Delhi Police has also added provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation to the FIR. A separate POCSO case has also been registered against Bhardwaj.

Bhardwaj was produced before Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler of Patiala House Courts at his residence at around 2 PM. Advocate Rishav Ranjan, appearing for Nishu Azad, the victim’s daughter, questioned the manner in which the accused was produced. He stated that the lawyers had been waiting in court while Bhardwaj was being offered legal aid and the proceedings were conducted online.