After ‘cracking man’s skull’ podcast, police search for ‘Hindutva influencer’; protests ensue

Viral interview revives June case; CJP seeks arrest, SC/ST Act provisions as Delhi Police hunts self-styled Hindutva influencer, Rahul Gandhi questions Modi and Amit Shah

Mumbai: A viral podcast in which self-styled Hindutva ‘influencer’ Swatantra Bhardwaj claimed he had “cracked the skull” of the father of a student protester during an agitation at Jantar Mantar has reignited a two-month-old assault case, with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demanding his immediate arrest and Delhi Police launching a search for him.

Bhardwaj allegedly assaulted Sanjay Kumar, father of student protester Nishu Azad, during a CJP-led agitation over examination paper leaks on June 23. An FIR was registered on Kumar’s complaint under Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 126(2) (wrongful restraint) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Bhardwaj and another accused, Suraj Kumar, were detained and questioned but later released.

The controversy erupted afresh after Bhardwaj, during a podcast, claimed he had inflicted a serious head injury on Kumar and that Kumar required around 60 stitches. Referring to the alleged assault, he said it could attract Section 307, relating to attempt to murder, and claimed he was not jailed despite the seriousness of the incident.

“But I was not even jailed. The world should know this. I was roaming around all night,” Bhardwaj said.

He also claimed to have political backing and referred to Delhi minister Kapil Mishra, Union minister Chirag Paswan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his “elder brothers”. He suggested that political connections had helped him avoid jail.

The remarks prompted a fresh protest outside the Parliament Street police station on Friday. CJP co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, along with other opposition leaders, demanded Bhardwaj’s arrest and sought additional charges, including provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and attempt to murder.

Following a prolonged meeting, police told the protesters that relevant provisions of the SC/ST Act would be invoked. On the demand for an attempt-to-murder charge, police said the matter would be examined on the basis of expert medical opinion. Police also assured the delegation that Bhardwaj would be arrested within 72 hours.

Police dispute skull fracture claim

Delhi Police has rejected claims that Kumar suffered a fractured or cracked skull, saying the injuries were “simple in nature”. According to police, Kumar sustained a head injury from a metal kada during a scuffle.

The FIR records that Kumar was recording the protest on his mobile phone around 5.30pm when a youth confronted him. After an argument, two to three other men allegedly joined in and assaulted him. Kumar alleged that he was punched several times on the head and struck with a hard object resembling an iron bangle.

Police personnel who reached the spot detained Suraj Kumar and Bhardwaj while the others fled, according to the FIR. Kumar was taken to RML Hospital, where his medical examination recorded “two lacerated wounds on his head”.

Police said due legal action had already been taken and that a chargesheet would be filed. It also rejected allegations of political interference, calling them “factually incorrect and baseless”.

Bhardwaj claims self-defence

As the podcast remarks triggered outrage, Bhardwaj sought to recast the incident as an act of self-defence.

“What people are calling an attack was an act of self-defence. If I had not acted in self-defence, I could have been lynched by the mob or killed. There was no attempt to attack him. I have video proof,” he said, according to ANI.

His comments have, however, brought renewed scrutiny to his earlier account in the podcast, particularly his claim that he had not been jailed despite allegedly causing a serious head injury.

Bhardwaj also spoke about the baton he was seen carrying during the CJP protest. Asked about it, he replied, “Can you see my shoe? This shoe is of the Delhi Police. I didn’t fill out any form, but automatically I roam around like Delhi Police.”

The CJP has previously alleged that unidentified men in plain clothes were present during the agitation and assaulted protesters while carrying batons.

Police teams search for Bhardwaj

Following the fresh demands for his arrest, Delhi Police began searching for Bhardwaj and reportedly traced him to Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh. A police team reached Naithla village, but he had allegedly left on a Bullet motorcycle and headed towards Khurja. He was reportedly wearing a helmet to conceal his identity, while multiple teams in plain clothes were deployed to trace him.

The case has also acquired a political dimension, with Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi questioning why Bhardwaj had not been jailed and alleging political protection.

“Amit Shah’s Delhi Police, on one hand, commits inhuman brutality against students. On the other hand, the criminal who smashed the head of a Dalit girl’s father is roaming freely in the open,” Gandhi posted on X.

He also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah whether Bhardwaj had their protection and whether action would now be taken.

Meanwhile, Bhardwaj’s social media activity has come under renewed scrutiny. He has posted several videos criticising the CJP agitation and, in one video uploaded in July, referred to protesters as “terrorists” and “cockroaches” while calling for “staunch sanatanis” like himself to be allowed to act against them.