New Delhi: The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has asked Delhi Police to register an FIR against self-styled influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj, saying he publicly misused Union minister Chirag Paswan’s name to project political patronage in the Jantar Mantar assault case.
The party’s legal cell filed a formal complaint at the Parliament Street Police Station on Friday, alleging that Bhardwaj falsely claimed links with Paswan and the LJP(RV) while talking about his involvement in the attack on the father of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activist Nishu Aazad, as reported by Hindustan Times.
In the complaint, the party urged police to go on record that neither Paswan nor the LJP(RV) has any connection with Bhardwaj or the incident, and to take strict action against him, news agency ANI reported.
‘Misuse Of Our Name’: Paswan
The complaint follows a viral clip in which Bhardwaj allegedly admitted to assaulting Aazad’s father during July protests at Jantar Mantar and boasted that Delhi Police had not acted against him because of his political connections, including references to Paswan.
“In public life, many people come to meet us. But if somebody claims, on this very basis to be a personal acquaintance of ours, then that is a misuse of our name. The attacker has sought to give the impression that action has not been taken against him because of me and my party. I have lodged a formal complaint against this misuse of my name,” Paswan was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
He added, “It is indeed a serious matter that the student activist’s father was beaten so severely that he could have died. The attacker has the temerity to brag about the incident on TV, and he roams scot-free. I take full responsibility to ensure justice to the aggrieved family by pursuing the matter with Delhi police.”
Detention After Protest Pressure
Later on Friday, Delhi Police detained Bhardwaj in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, hours after CJP protesters were told he would be arrested within 72 hours. Police said he tried to flee before being caught.