Swatantra Bhardwaj gets bail in CJP assault case

Bhardwaj had earlier been granted three weeks' interim bail with strict conditions.

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday granted regular bail to social media influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj in connection with the alleged assault on the father of a student activist during a protest at Jantar Mantar.Bhardwaj had earlier been granted three weeks' interim bail with strict conditions. The court has now granted him regular bail after considering his conduct during the interim bail period.A detailed order, including the bail conditions, is expected to be passed later in the day, according to news agency ANI.

On September 15, the court had granted Bhardwaj three weeks' interim bail and said his conduct during the period would be considered before deciding his regular bail plea.It had barred him from posting, publishing or discussing the case, his defence or the complainant's family on social media or any media platform.He was also restrained from contacting the complainant, his daughter or any witness and from tampering with evidence.The court had observed that “bail is an expression of the court’s trust, and it is not a trophy to be displayed”, while cautioning against public celebrations following release on bail.

Why was Bhardwaj arrested?

Bhardwaj was detained in Bulandshahr on September 4, hours after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protested outside the Parliament Street police station demanding his arrest over the alleged assault.The action followed outrage over an interview in which Bhardwaj claimed that he had “cracked the skull” of the student activist's father during the June 23 protest and that he escaped arrest because of his 'political connections'.Police, however, had disputed the severity of the injuries claimed by Bhardwaj, saying the man suffered a simple head injury during a scuffle.Bhardwaj was subsequently remanded to judicial custody on September 7 and lodged in Tihar Jail. He was released from the prison on September 18 after being granted interim bail.(With agency inputs)