CJP protest case: Delhi HC rejects Habeas Corpus plea filed for production of Swatantra Bhardwaj

New Delhi [India], September 7 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday rejected the Habeas Corpus plea filed on behalf of Swatantra Bhardwaj for his production.
The High Court dismissed the petition after noting the submissions of Delhi Police that Swatantra Bhardwaj has been arrested and he is in judicial custody.
Bhardwaj has been arrested for assaulting Sanjay Azad. He was sent to judicial custody for one day on Sunday.
A division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja dismissed the petition after hearing submissions by the counsel for the petitioner and Delhi Police. The court said that the counsel may avail other legal remedies; this petition is not maintainable, as the accused is in judicial custody.
The petition was filed by Advocate Umesh Chandra Sharma, who submitted that all the FIRs pertaining to the CJP protest have been quashed by the Supreme Court. This FIR should be quashed, and Swatantra Bhardwaj should be released from illegal detention.
This submission was opposed by the counsel for Delhi Police and for the complainant, Sanjay Azad. Advocate Swati Khanna and Rishav Ranjan appeared for the complainant.
They submitted that the present FIR is different from those quashed by the Supreme Court. It is an FIR of a personal nature. Swatantra Bhardwaj is in judicial custody, and two judicial orders have been passed; therefore, there is no question of knowing his whereabouts, as he is in judicial custody.
In the morning, the Habeas Corpus was mentioned for an urgent hearing. The same was allowed for listing today. During the day, Special Judge SPS Laler at Patiala House Court extended the judicial custody of Swatantra Bhardwaj till September 21.
Patiala House Court's Duty Magistrate on Sunday remanded Swatantra Bhardwaj for one day of judicial custody.
Bhardwaj was detained in Bulandshahr on August 4 by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. Thereafter, he was brought to Delhi. He was arrested in the FIR lodged in connection with the attempt to murder Sanjay Azad, who was allegedly attacked by Swatantra Bhardwaj and another person, Suraj.
Duty Judicial Magistrate First Class (Duty JMFC) Anjali Singh had remanded Swatantra Bhardwaj to one day of judicial custody. Delhi Police produced Swatantra Bhardwaj through video conferencing. Delhi Police sought 14 days of judicial custody for Swatantra Bhardwaj. After conducting the hearing at her residence, the magistrate granted one day of judicial custody. He will be produced before the concerned court on Monday.
On Saturday, the Special Judge (SC-ST Act) of Patiala House Court remanded Swatantra Bhardwaj to one day of police custody. He was produced at the residence of the concerned judge at the Karkardooma Court complex.
Special Judge SPS Laler had remanded Swatantra Bhardwaj to one day of police custody after hearing the submissions of Delhi Police. He will be produced tomorrow before the court. In view of safety and security concerns, the Accused was produced at the residence of the judge.
Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsel (Chief LADC) Piyush Sachdeva had appeared for Swatantra Bhardwaj through video conferencing.
As per the grounds of arrest, this matter came to light after a podcast interview during which Bhardwaj allegedly admitted to hitting Sanjay Azad on his head with a Kada he was wearing. This incident took place during a CJP protest at Jantar Mantar on June 23, 2026.
Advocate Rishav Ranjan, the counsel for the complainant, told on Friday that they had a meeting with a Delhi Police senior officer who assured them to add appropriate sections of the SC-ST Act and arrest Bhardwaj within 72 hours. MP Chandrasekhar Azad, Sanjay Azad and other lawyers were also present during the meeting held at Parliament Street Police Station.
In the subsequent development, Swatantra Bhardwaj was detained from Bulandshahr by the crime branch. (ANI)