New Delhi:
The Aam Aadmi Party's Somnath Bharti, wanted in a case of domestic violence, has not been found but his dog, described as "case property" by the police, has surfaced.
As the police argued his importance in a court today, the dog, a Labrador named 'Don', was found snoring at his owner's office in south Delhi.
Somnath Bharti, 41, has been accused by his estranged wife Lipika Mitra of domestic violence. She has alleged that while she was pregnant, Mr Bharti, in an attempt to force a miscarriage, ordered his dog to attack her.
The dog has not been traced, the police yesterday told a Delhi court, which rejected Mr Bharti's plea for protection from arrest. "We are searching for the dog because apparently it bit her during the struggle while the complainant was being strangulated," said police officer Deependra Pathak.
Mr Bharti's petition for anticipatory bail was heard today by the High Court, and "Don" came up again. The judge questioned how a pet dog could attack a person with whom it lives.
The public prosecutor, arguing against Mr Bharti, said the dog had been with the lawmaker since he was a puppy and had been trained by him. "So when it saw a fight between its master and his wife, it was told to attack Lipika," he told the judge.
The Labrador was found napping when a police team raided Mr Bharti's offices to search for him. The police learnt more details about him - he is overweight, mostly sleeps and eats, and barks when the AC is turned off.
His master remains missing and the high court has said he cannot be arrested till Thursday.
Mr Bharti's stint as law minister in the previous 49-day was a controversial one. He was condemned for leading a mob that illegally detained and harassed African women alleging they were part of a prostitution and drug racket. This time, he was not included in the cabinet.