Father of CJP Protester Says Influencer Threatened His Minor Daughter and Attacked Him

On a sweltering July 20, a crowd gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest alleged NEET‑UG paper leaks. Among them was Sanjay Azad, who had come to support his daughter Nishu, a young activist of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). What began as a peaceful chant turned chaotic when an unknown figure lunged at the seniors in the crowd.

That unknown figure turned out to be self‑styled right‑wing influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj. According to Sanjay Azad, Bhardwaj not only swung at him, cracking his skull, but later used his online platforms to menace Azad’s minor daughter, posting threatening messages that left the family shaken.

“He smashed my head and then threatened my daughter on social media,” Azad told CNN‑News18 hours after Bhardwaj’s brief detention. “I gave the police the video, the messages and a medical report showing I needed stitches, yet nothing happened at first.”

The controversy exploded when a clip from Bhardwaj’s own podcast went viral. In the recording he boasted, “I cracked the skull of Nishu’s father,” and even invoked Section 307, hinting at an attempted murder charge. When the backlash grew too loud, Bhardwaj claimed the words were sarcastic, that the footage had been edited, and that he acted in self‑defence after being surrounded by angry protesters.

Azaz insists his side of the story is backed by evidence. He says the viral video was filmed on July 23 – three days after the incident – and that he posted it to expose Bhardwaj’s continued harassment of his daughter, who was seen standing outside a police station, threatening suicide if justice wasn’t served.

Delhi Police have now taken a firmer stance. After a concerted effort by CJP supporters and several public outcries, Bhardwaj was detained in Bulandshahr. A fresh FIR has been lodged under the POCSO Act for threatening a minor, alongside sections of the SC/ST Act and provisions for attempted murder.

“I have proof Bhardwaj struck me first,” Azad said, referring to the medical certificate documenting his head injury. He has pledged to hand over the video evidence to the investigators, insisting the case is not a fabrication.

The CJP has not stayed silent. Members marched to the Sansad Marg police station, demanding Bhardwaj’s arrest and calling for stronger charges, including attempted murder and violations under the SC/ST Act. Their rally echoed the father’s plea: “If my daughter’s safety isn’t secured, we will keep fighting.”

As the legal process unfolds, the episode serves as a stark reminder of how online provocation can spill over into real‑world violence, and how families caught in the crossfire grapple with both physical injuries and the emotional toll of threats aimed at their children.