File Photo of AAP MLA Somnath Bharti
Wanted in a
case of domestic abuse with charges that include attempt to murder,
Somnath Bharti, the Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Law Minister of Delhi, has not been located so far by the city police. Offices of his party were searched in Delhi and Agra before a judge ruled that Mr Bharti will not be arrested at least till Thursday.
Mr Bharti, 41, was yesterday refused anticipatory bail, which would have guaranteed that he could not be arrested till a court-determined date. His lawyers today appealed against that verdict in the High Court. Mr Bharti's estranged wife, Lipika Mitra, present for the hearing, but the politician did not attend. Arguing in favour of his arrest, the police said that Mr Bharti's neighbours are intimidated and will not speak freely about the couple while he is free.
"This is Somnath ji's personal matter, AAP won't interfere. But we advise him to come forth & take part in investigation," said Ashutosh, a senior party leader.
Mr Bharti has been accused by Ms Mitra, who he married in 2012, of domestic violence and attempted murder; she says that he tried to strangle her and that while she was pregnant, he attempted to force a miscarriage by ordering his dog to attack her.
"The police told a Delhi court yesterday that the
Labrador, Don, has also not been traced. "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.
Since the case was filed late last week, Mr Bharti has
ignored multiple requests by the police to
make himself available for interrogation.
Mr Bharti was not included in Arvind Kejriwal's government after the Aam Admi Party took office in February. In its first and snappy 49-day term, Mr Bharti was excoriated for leading a mob that illegally detained and harassed African women alleging they were part of a prostitution and drug racket.