{"id":1912,"date":"2026-09-05T08:30:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T08:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/2026\/09\/05\/influencer-sawatantra-bhardwaj-arrested-up-pocso-fir\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T08:30:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T08:30:43","slug":"influencer-sawatantra-bhardwaj-arrested-up-pocso-fir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/2026\/09\/05\/influencer-sawatantra-bhardwaj-arrested-up-pocso-fir\/","title":{"rendered":"Influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj arrested in UP after fresh POCSO FIR"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- Quick Adsense WordPress Plugin: http:\/\/quickadsense.com\/ -->\n<div class=\"9fece8afa224fd09e54b043d0febfb58\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- NR ATF -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8898941184964366\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"4839033563\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>Delhi\u2011based social media influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj was apprehended by police in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday following the registration of a fresh First Information Report (FIR) under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The new FIR also incorporated relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC\/ST) Act, augmenting charges that had already been filed in connection with an assault that occurred during a protest organized by the Campaign for Justice (CJP) on 7\u202fJuly at Jantar\u202fMantar.<\/p>\n<h2>Background of the protest and assault allegations<\/h2>\n<p>During the CJP demonstration, Bhardwaj allegedly struck the father of a minor activist, a claim he later publicised on his social\u2011media channels. In a video posted after the protest, he boasted of having \u201ccracked the skull\u201d of the father and suggested that his release from any prior detention was due to \u201cpolitical connections\u201d. The minor activist subsequently reported verbal abuse and threats of rape after filing an FIR that named Bhardwaj as the assailant. She described the aftermath as a period during which she felt unsafe, unable to attend school and subject to community judgment, and expressed hope that police would take decisive action.<\/p>\n<p>Following the incident, CJP co\u2011conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, supported by other activists and a handful of politicians, visited the Parliament Street police station in Delhi to demand that stricter sections be added to the case. Their appeal coincided with a promise from Delhi Police that Bhardwaj would be arrested within 72\u202fhours.<\/p>\n<h2>Bhardwaj\u2019s attempt to evade arrest<\/h2>\n<p>According to residents of Naithla village in Bulandshahr, Bhardwaj arrived in the district early on Friday, allegedly to avoid detention. He took refuge in the home of Harishankar Sharma, a local cab driver who works in the Delhi\u2011NCR region. Sharma recounted that Bhardwaj contacted him in advance, stating his intention to meet, and arrived early in the morning accompanied by another man. Initially, Sharma did not suspect any wrongdoing, but the arrival of several journalists in the village raised his concerns.<\/p>\n<p>While staying at Sharma\u2019s house, Bhardwaj interacted with a few journalists and reiterated his claims about the assault at the Jantar\u202fMantar protest. At one point, he asked Sharma to lend him a motorcycle, insisting he would return it \u201cwithin five minutes\u201d. Sharma later learned from the media that Delhi Police had detained Bhardwaj, though he admitted he remained unclear about the specifics of the criminal case in the capital.<\/p>\n<p>Sharma told ANI that Bhardwaj remained at his residence until about 2\u202fpm, when officers from the Delhi Crime Branch arrived. \u201cThey said, \u2018We are from the crime branch; Swatantra, come with us,\u2019\u201d Sharma said, describing the officers\u2019 removal of Bhardwaj from his home.<\/p>\n<p>Another villager, Shamshuddin Saifi, noted that suspicion grew when a car carrying three men in plainclothes was spotted. When questioned, the occupants identified themselves as police. Saifi later heard that Bhardwaj had been taken from Dhameda Nara village, another locality within Bulandshahr.<\/p>\n<h2>Police coordination and local response<\/h2>\n<p>Local law\u2011enforcement officials said they became aware of Bhardwaj\u2019s presence through WhatsApp media groups that circulated his location. Sikandrabad Circle Officer Deepak Kumar said a police team was dispatched promptly, but by the time the officers reached the area, Bhardwaj had already left the immediate location. Kumar added that Delhi Police officers did not record their arrival at the local station, suggesting a lack of formal hand\u2011over documentation.<\/p>\n<p>The Crime Branch\u2019s involvement indicates inter\u2011state cooperation between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh police agencies. While Delhi Police had previously assured that Bhardwaj would be arrested within three days, the fresh FIR under the POCSO Act and the addition of SC\/ST provisions underscore a heightened legal response to the allegations.<\/p>\n<h2>Profile of the accused<\/h2>\n<p>Publicly available information on Bhardwaj\u2019s social\u2011media profiles indicates he is originally from Bihar and is in his early twenties. He currently resides in Delhi, where he is pursuing studies and preparing for government service examinations. His educational background includes schooling completed in Patna before relocating to the national capital.<\/p>\n<p>On his online channels, Bhardwaj describes himself as a \u201cSanatani Yoddha\u201d and has amassed a sizable following. His content includes provocative videos and material that has been characterized as hateful. The influencer\u2019s self\u2011portrayal and digital reach have drawn attention from both supporters and critics, particularly in the wake of the assault allegations.<\/p>\n<p>The arrest in Bulandshahr marks a significant development in a case that has attracted national media coverage, political commentary, and activist involvement. The inclusion of the POCSO Act suggests that authorities are treating the alleged assault with particular seriousness, given the victim\u2019s status as a minor\u2019s parent. The added SC\/ST provisions may reflect concerns about the alleged victim\u2019s caste status, although the source does not specify details.<\/p>\n<p>As the investigation proceeds, the minor activist\u2019s statements about harassment and threats remain a focal point for civil\u2011rights observers. Her testimony highlights the broader social repercussions that can follow high\u2011profile incidents involving public figures and political protests.<\/p>\n<p>Further updates are expected as the case moves through the judicial process, with both Delhi and Uttar Pradesh police agencies likely to continue coordination. The outcome may also influence ongoing debates about influencer accountability, the role of social media in inciting violence, and the application of protective legislation for children and marginalized communities.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Social media influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj was taken into custody in Bulandshahr after a fresh FIR under the POCSO Act was lodged, adding SC\/ST provisions to earlier charges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1913,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[299],"tags":[1939,1938,1937,1940,1936],"class_list":["post-1912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-bulandshahr-arrest","tag-delhi-protest","tag-pocso-act","tag-social-media-influencer","tag-swatantra-bhardwaj","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1912","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1912"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1912\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1913"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1912"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1912"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}