Swatantra Bhardwaj case: Lawyer questions 'strange' court hearing

Rishav Ranjan, lawyer for Nishu Azad, slammed the police for producing assault-accused Swatantra Bhardwaj before a judge at his residence, questioning the secrecy and lack of information on new charges added to the FIR.

After Swatantra Bhardwaj was remanded to one day of police custody on Saturday, Rishav Ranjan, Counsel for Nishu Azad, questioned the manner in which the accused was produced before the court.

Lawyer Questions 'Strange' Hearing for Accused

"It is very strange. We were all present in the Court and waiting for the hearing to begin. Later, we came to know that legal aid counsel joined through video conferencing and accused was presented before the judge at his residence. One-day Police custody was sought in such a serious offence. We did not receive any details as to what charges were added and what additions were made to the FIR. We have no idea what is being hidden. We are asking which charges have been levelled. The media is informing us that certain sections have been added, but the Delhi Police has not issued any official statement yet regarding what additional charges have been brought."

Ranjan dismissed potential security or crowd concerns as justification for bypassing standard courtroom proceedings. "There was no threat inside. The courts are completely peaceful. Today is also a holiday, so the crowd is minimal. They could have easily seated him and produced him inside the court. Now, only the police and their legal counsel can explain why this happened," he added.

Viral Clip Sparks Arrest Demands

The controversy erupted after a purported clip went viral in which Bhardwaj was heard claiming to have "cracked the skull" of Kumar during the demonstration but did not go to jail due to political connections. Bhardwaj later claimed he had not attacked Kumar but had acted in "self-defence" after being surrounded by a group of protesters.

Following the circulation of the video, the CJP intensified its demand for Bhardwaj's arrest, with activists staging protests outside the Parliament Street police station on Friday.

The alleged assault took place during a protest at Jantar Mantar organised by the CJP in July. The incident later drew political reactions after Bhardwaj was accused of assaulting Kumar during the demonstration. (ANI)

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