New Delhi: Hindutva worker Swatantra Bhardwaj, who boasted about cracking the skull of the father of a student activist during the Jantar Mantar protests, was granted regular bail on Tuesday (October 6). He was granted interim bail on September 15 for three weeks.Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler of Patiala House Courts passed the order, said a report on Live Law. During the previous hearing, the court had highlighted deficiencies in the Delhi Police investigation in his case and had asked the Investigation Officer to file a status report.Bhardwaj was sent to 14 days’ judicial custody (Tihar Jail) on September 7, around 24 hours after police arrested him in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, in connection with the alleged assault. A magistrate’s court initially granted police one-day custody, which was later extended to about two weeks of judicial custody, followed by three weeks of bail.The FIR was registered at Parliament Street Police Station after widespread public outrage over his actions as well as subsequent remarks that came to light. He initially faced charges under the bailable Sections 115(2) and 126(2) BNS. Charges under the Prevention of Atrocities Act were filed after, in a viral video posted on his channel, he allegedly made casteist remarks.In the video posted in early September, he also claimed he did not face police action despite inflicting serious injuries on Sanjay Azad because he has the establishment’s support, including that of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kapil Mishra. That video is no longer available online.He said he had “cracked” Sanjay’s skull and threatened his daughter, prominent student activist Nishu Azad – “now the child will also be beaten.” This and other remarks led to charges under the POCSO Act, 2012, being levelled against him as well.Also read: Plea in Supreme Court Seeking Directions to Delhi Police as Manhandling, Detentions in Unmarked Cars Mark ProtestsA protest was staged at Parliament Street Police Station by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking his arrest. Aazad Samaj Party MP Chandrashekhar Azad and a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) team led by Ashutosh Ranka also demanded action against him over allegedly offensive remarks.The prosecution alleged that Bhardwaj and his associates surrounded and assaulted the complainant with fists and a hard object resembling a kada. The complainant suffered two lacerated wounds on his head, reports Live Law.Azad wrote in a tweet after Bhardwaj’s statements came to light that “As the victim, I seek only truth, clarity and justice.”The court noted during the September 15 hearing that Bhardwaj had been in custody for around 10 days and that custodial interrogation had been completed. It said the main concern was the safety of the complainant and his minor daughter, which could be addressed through appropriate conditions.The court said that the case would be decided on evidence in a court of law and not through public or social media commentary.