Delhi Police have registered a separate FIR against activist Swatantra Bhardwaj and unidentified social media users following a complaint by the Congress legal team over alleged online harassment, abuse and rape threats directed at a 14-year-old Dalit protester.
The case has been registered under Sections 78, 79 and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Section 67B of the Information Technology Act.
The FIR names Bhardwaj and “unknown trolls” as accused. Investigators are expected to examine social media accounts and digital records to identify those allegedly involved in posting abusive content and issuing threats.
The Congress legal team said those responsible for the alleged threats would face prosecution.
The case is separate from the FIR concerning the alleged assault on the girl’s father during a Cockroach Janta Party protest at Jantar Mantar on June 23.
Bhardwaj was arrested in that case on Saturday and sent to one-day police custody. He had been detained near Dhamra Nara village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr a day earlier.
Bhardwaj came under scrutiny after claiming during a podcast that he had “cracked the skull” of the protester’s father and avoided arrest because of his political connections.
The girl subsequently posted a video on X alleging that she was receiving threats from Bhardwaj’s supporters. CJP leaders and Opposition MPs then staged a protest at Parliament Street police station, demanding action.
Police later added provisions of the SC/ST Act to the assault FIR. They said the addition of an attempt-to-murder charge would be considered after receiving an expert medical opinion.
Bhardwaj has maintained that he acted in self-defence during the June 23 confrontation and denied attempting to attack the girl’s father.
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Published By:
Aprameya Rao
Published On:
Sep 5, 2026 23:45 IST
