Court Flags Gaps In Delhi Police Probe While Granting Interim Bail To Swatantra Bhardwaj, Bars Him From... - Live Law

**Delhi Court Grants Interim Bail to Hindutva Influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj, Citing Flaws in Police Probe**

A Delhi trial court on Wednesday granted Swatantra Bhardwaj, a self‑styled “Hindutva influencer,” a three‑week interim bail in the assault case stemming from a June 2023 incident at Jantar Mantar. The charge‑sheet alleges that Bhardwaj, along with a group of right‑wing activists, physically assaulted the father of Dalit activist Kanhaiya Mohan after a confrontation over a protest. The victim’s son, a prominent Dalit rights campaigner, had lodged a complaint that led to the filing of a FIR under sections of the Indian Penal Code relating to voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation.

During the bail hearing, the bench highlighted “significant gaps” in the Delhi police’s investigative dossier. The judges noted that the police had failed to produce a complete forensic report, had not recorded statements from several alleged witnesses, and had not adequately corroborated the alleged “viral video” evidence with independent sources. The court also pointed out that the FIR was filed several weeks after the incident, raising questions about the timeliness and thoroughness of the probe. In light of these deficiencies, the bench determined that the prosecution had not yet satisfied the requisite threshold to deny bail, prompting the interim relief.

The interim bail order imposes strict conditions: Bhardwaj is barred from entering Jantar Mantar or any other public place where the alleged victim or his family might be present, is prohibited from using any social‑media platform to discuss the case, and must surrender his passport and report weekly to the police station. While Bhardwaj’s legal counsel hailed the decision as a vindication of due‑process rights, Dalit rights groups condemned the ruling, arguing that it sends a chilling message to victims of hate‑motivated violence. The case remains under investigation, and the prosecution has been directed to submit a revised report within two weeks.