FIR against AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj for naming Janakpuri assault victim
Synopsis
Delhi Police have filed an FIR against AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj for allegedly naming a three-year-old Janakpuri sexual assault victim on X — even as Bharadwaj insists he was exposing police inaction. The case echoes a 2024 FIR against Rahul Gandhi for a similar post, raising a pointed question: where does political accountability end and survivor protection begin?
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police registered an FIR against AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on 2 June for allegedly revealing the identity of a 3-year-old sexual assault victim.
The victim was allegedly assaulted at a school in Janakpuri ; the accused is reportedly a 57-year-old senior school official.
Bharadwaj had alleged that police were pressuring the victim’s mother to suppress the case and blocking an AIIMS medical re-examination.
An AAP delegation including former mayor Shelly Oberoi protested at the Raj Bhavan on 13 May , seeking action against the accused officials.
A similar FIR was filed against Rahul Gandhi in January 2024 for disclosing a minor victim’s identity on X .
The Delhi Police on Tuesday, 2 June registered a First Information Report (FIR) against former Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj for allegedly disclosing the identity of a three-year-old minor sexual assault victim from a school in Janakpuri. The Janakpuri Police are currently investigating the matter.
What Bharadwaj Posted
The case stems from a post Bharadwaj made on social media platform X, in which he wrote: “Today, the youngest ‘cockroach’ in the country is a mere 3-year-old girl. She was raped at a school in Janakpuri. The accused is a 57-year-old senior official of the school.” The post, according to police sources, allegedly revealed identifying details about the minor victim, in violation of laws protecting the identity of sexual assault survivors.
Bharadwaj’s Allegations Against Police
Bharadwaj had raised the case publicly to highlight what he described as police inaction and intimidation. He alleged that the victim’s mother had complained that the local SHO and DCP were pressuring her to suppress the matter. He also claimed the victim’s parents had sought a medical re-examination at AIIMS, which the police were reportedly unwilling to facilitate.
He questioned: “Why is the police unwilling to conduct a medical examination of the innocent three-year-old at AIIMS? Who is shielding the senior school official and the accused?”
Protest at Raj Bhavan
On 13 May, Bharadwaj, accompanied by women councillors, staged a protest outside the Raj Bhavan, demanding action against police officials accused of intimidating the survivor’s family. An AAP delegation that included former mayor Shelly Oberoi briefly met officials at the Raj Bhavan and was informed that a meeting time with the Lieutenant Governor would be communicated via email.
A Precedent: Rahul Gandhi’s Similar Case
This is not the first time a prominent political figure has faced legal action for allegedly revealing a minor victim’s identity on social media. In January 2024, an FIR was registered against Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for a post on X that allegedly disclosed the identity of a minor girl who was raped and murdered in 2021 in the Delhi Cantonment area. Gandhi subsequently told the Delhi High Court on 24 January that he had taken down the post, after which a related public interest litigation was disposed of by the bench.
What Happens Next
The Janakpuri Police are investigating the FIR against Bharadwaj, and the legal proceedings are at an early stage. The case raises broader questions about the tension between political accountability campaigns and the statutory obligation to protect survivors’ identities — a concern that courts and lawmakers have repeatedly flagged across multiple high-profile incidents.
Point of View
While the law makes no exception for intent. What is notable is that this is now a cross-party pattern — both an AAP leader and a Congress leader have faced identical charges within two years, suggesting the law is being applied consistently even as the underlying police accountability questions remain unanswered. The real story is not the FIR but the allegation that a local SHO and DCP were pressuring a victim’s family — a charge that mainstream coverage has largely subordinated to the political angle.
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was an FIR filed against Saurabh Bharadwaj?
Delhi Police registered an FIR against AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on 2 June for allegedly revealing the identity of a three-year-old minor sexual assault victim in a post on social media platform X. Indian law prohibits the disclosure of a sexual assault survivor’s identity, regardless of intent.
What was the Janakpuri school assault case?
A three-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted on a school campus in Janakpuri, Delhi. The accused is reportedly a 57-year-old senior official of the school. The incident came to light last month and triggered political protests and demands for police action.
What allegations did Bharadwaj make against Delhi Police?
Bharadwaj alleged that the victim’s mother had told him the local SHO and DCP were pressuring her to suppress the case. He also claimed the police were unwilling to facilitate a medical re-examination of the child at AIIMS, which the victim’s parents had requested.
Has a similar FIR been filed against any other politician?
Yes. In January 2024, an FIR was registered against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly disclosing the identity of a minor rape and murder victim from Delhi’s Cantonment area in a 2021 social media post on X. Gandhi subsequently told the Delhi High Court he had removed the post.
What is the current status of the investigation?
The Janakpuri Police are investigating the FIR against Bharadwaj. The case is at an early stage, and no further legal action has been publicly announced as of 2 June.
