Chirag Paswan Files Complaint After Swatantra Bhardwaj Invokes His Name in Jantar Mantar Assault Row

Union minister Chirag Paswan has filed a police complaint against social-media personality Swatantra Bhardwaj, accusing him of misusing the minister’s name while discussing an alleged assault at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), also backed the family of the injured man and called for an impartial investigation. His intervention followed the circulation of a podcast clip in which Bhardwaj appeared to speak about the assault and invoke the names of political leaders while discussing why he had not been jailed.

The development has moved beyond the original news lead. An FIR concerning the alleged assault was already registered, and Delhi Police detained Bhardwaj in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr on September 4, 2026. Paswan’s complaint is connected specifically to the alleged misuse of his name and the claims made in the podcast.

Bhardwaj has maintained that he acted in self-defense. Delhi Police, meanwhile, has rejected allegations that political intervention influenced its handling of the case.

Why Chirag Paswan filed a complaint

Addressing the controversy in Patna, Paswan said it was a serious matter for a person to appear to describe a potentially fatal assault publicly and suggested that failing to take action could create a “very wrong example.”

Paswan said Bhardwaj had misused his name, along with those of other politicians, and confirmed that he had filed an official complaint. He also urged Delhi Police to investigate the matter fairly.

The minister rejected Bhardwaj’s apparent suggestion of a personal relationship. Paswan explained that people often meet public representatives or approach them with requests, but that such an interaction does not prove that the politician personally knows or supports them.

According to Paswan, Bhardwaj’s claim of knowing him was “absolutely wrong.” His party said it stood with Sanjay Kumar the man injured during the Jantar Mantar incident and his daughter, student activist Nishu Azad.

What happened at Jantar Mantar?

The underlying case concerns an altercation during a Cockroach Janta Party protest at Jantar Mantar on June 23.

According to Delhi Police, Ghaziabad resident Sanjay Kumar was injured during a scuffle. The FIR alleges that an argument began while Kumar was recording the demonstration and escalated after other individuals became involved.

Kumar alleged that he was punched and struck on the head with a hard object resembling an iron bangle or kada. He was taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, where his medical examination recorded two lacerated wounds.

Police initially registered a case at Parliament Street police station under Sections 115(2), 126(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Officials subsequently said provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were added after further representations.

These remain allegations under investigation. The filing of an FIR and Bhardwaj’s detention do not constitute a judicial determination of guilt.

Podcast clip brought the case back into focus

The controversy intensified after a podcast excerpt featuring Bhardwaj circulated online. In the clip, he appeared to claim that Kumar’s skull had been “cracked,” that the injured man required numerous stitches and that Bhardwaj had avoided jail.

He also referred to political figures, including Paswan and Delhi minister Kapil Mishra, while discussing his purported connections. Those remarks led opposition parties and protesters to question whether political influence had affected the police response.

Bhardwaj later told NDTV that some of his podcast comments had been made jokingly. He acknowledged hitting Kumar with his kada but claimed that he did so in self-defense after being surrounded and fearing an attack.

His self-defense account has not been adjudicated by a court.

Delhi Police rejects political-interference allegation

Delhi Police has disputed both the podcast’s description of Kumar’s injuries and the allegation of political protection.

DCP (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma said the medical report classified the injury as simple and did not support the claim that Kumar’s skull had been fractured. Police said the injury was allegedly caused by a metal bracelet rather than a separate weapon.

The force also said Bhardwaj and another accused, Suraj Kumar, were detained at the protest site, questioned and served notices in accordance with the applicable procedure. Officers stated that a chargesheet would be filed before the competent court.

Police described allegations of undue political interference as incorrect and unsupported by the case record.

That official account differs substantially from the version Bhardwaj appeared to present in the podcast. Determining the facts will require examination of the FIR, medical evidence, witness accounts, available video footage and the accused persons’ defense.

Bhardwaj detained in Bulandshahr

Police detained Bhardwaj near Dhamra Nara village in Bulandshahr on September 4. The action followed renewed protests outside Parliament Street police station and demands from CJP representatives for stronger charges.

The protesting delegation included CJP representatives Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, along with MPs Chandrashekhar Azad and Pappu Yadav.

The group had sought the addition of an attempt-to-murder provision, provisions under the SC/ST Act and criminal-intimidation charges. Police agreed to consider the demands according to the available evidence. The SC/ST Act provisions were subsequently added,

A separate complaint concerning alleged online abuse and threats directed at Nishu Azad was also raised with police.

What has and has not been established

Several distinct claims have become mixed together in social-media discussions surrounding the case:

• An FIR concerning the Jantar Mantar altercation has been registered.

• Bhardwaj has been detained in connection with the investigation.

• He has acknowledged striking Kumar but claims self-defense.

• Police say the medical record describes the injury as simple and does not support a fractured-skull claim.

• Bhardwaj’s podcast contained references to political connections.

• Paswan denies personally knowing or protecting him and has filed a complaint over the alleged misuse of his name.

• Delhi Police denies that political interference affected the investigation.

No court has yet ruled on Bhardwaj’s guilt, his self-defense claim or the competing descriptions of the incident.

The Celebrity Hour Take

The central issue is no longer merely an influencer making inflammatory remarks. The podcast created two separate questions: what happened during the Jantar Mantar scuffle, and whether Bhardwaj’s references to politicians accurately reflected any relationship or intervention.

Paswan’s complaint directly challenges the second claim, while his call for an impartial investigation puts political distance between his party and Bhardwaj.

The first question must be resolved through evidence, not the exaggerated language of a podcast or political statements issued afterward. The medical record, video footage and witness testimony will carry greater legal weight than claims made for attention online.

For publishers, the distinction is equally important: Bhardwaj is accused in an assault case and has been detained, but he has not been convicted. Paswan has sought action and filed a complaint, but that does not prove the contents of either complaint.

Sources & Verification

This report was prepared using Chirag Paswan’s publicly reported statement, Delhi Police’s account of the investigation, reporting based on the FIR and medical examination, Bhardwaj’s attributed response, and confirmation of his detention in Bulandshahr. Conflicting claims about the injuries and alleged political influence have been attributed to the respective parties rather than presented as settled facts.

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