Delhi High Court Schedules Urgent Habeas Corpus Hearing for Assault Accused

The Delhi High Court on Monday granted an urgent listing for a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of Swatantra Bhardwaj. Bhardwaj, who was taken into custody by the Delhi Police Crime Branch, has now been in detention for three days.

Advocate Umesh Chandra Sharma, appearing before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay, argued that the continued confinement needed immediate judicial scrutiny. The bench agreed and set the matter for a hearing later that day.

According to the police, Bhardwaj was arrested in connection with an assault on Sanjay Azad during a protest at Jantar Mantar on June 23. The complaint alleges that Bhardwaj struck Azad on the head with a traditional steel bracelet – a kada – while a crowd gathered around the demonstrators.

Following his arrest on August 4 in Bulandshahr, the accused was transferred to Delhi. The Patiala House Court’s duty magistrate, Anjali Singh, initially remanded Bhardwaj to one day of judicial custody after a video‑conference appearance. The police, however, sought a 14‑day custodial period, arguing that the case involved sections of the SC‑ST Act.

In a series of short‑term hearings, the Special Judge at Patiala House remanded him to one day of police custody, after which he was again produced via video link from the judge’s residence at the Karkardooma complex. The judge’s chief legal‑aid counsel, Piyush Sachdeva, also appeared remotely on Bhardwaj’s behalf.

The grounds for the arrest were further reinforced after a podcast interview in which Bhardwaj allegedly admitted to the assault. Counsel for the complainant, Advocate Rishav Ranjan, told the court that a senior Delhi Police officer had promised to add the appropriate SC‑ST provisions and finalize the arrest within 72 hours.

MP Chandrasekhar Azad, the victim Sanjay Azad, and several senior lawyers were present at a meeting held at the Parliament Street Police Station, where the case details were discussed.

As of now, Bhardwaj remains in judicial custody pending the outcome of the high court’s hearing. The court’s decision will determine whether his continued detention is lawful or whether he must be released immediately.