Son calls lawyer dad ‘opportunist’ for appearing for Swatantra Bhardwaj

New Delhi: Lawyer and stand-up comedian Manu Abhishek Bhardwaj has claimed that his family is planning to formally disown his father after the latter agreed to represent activist Swatantra Bhardwaj, escalating an already controversial dispute, The Free Press Journal reported.

In a video posted on Instagram, Manu accused his father of taking up Swatantra Bhardwaj’s case despite his strong opposition to the activist’s activities. He described his father as opportunistic and questioned his competence as a lawyer, saying he had not spoken to him for years.

Manu also made serious allegations about his father’s conduct within the family, claiming that he had been abusive towards family members, particularly his mother. He further alleged that several legal disputes were already pending among family members.

According to Manu, his family does not want its name or professional work to be associated with his father’s actions and is considering formally severing ties with him. He said he intended to continue opposing positions and actions he considered contrary to his beliefs, even if that meant standing against his own family.

Taking another swipe at his father’s legal abilities, Manu suggested that Swatantra Bhardwaj could face a prolonged legal battle because he believed his father lacked the competence required to handle the case.

Manu, a second-generation Delhi lawyer, practises independently and has reported experience in sports, entertainment and esports law. He studied BA LLB at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and later completed an LLM in Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law at the University of Miami School of Law.

The allegations against his father and the other individuals mentioned in the video have not been independently verified.