NEW DELHI, Sep 29: Former Delhi Law Minister and controversial AAP MLA Somnath Bharti, arrested in the wee hours in connection with a domestic violence and attempt to murder case, was today sent to police custody for two days by a Delhi court.
41-year-old Bharti, who had surrendered before police last evening, was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Manika who remanded him to police custody till October 1 after the investigating agency said the recovery of a knife, some jewellery and other articles related to the case were to be made from him.
The special public prosecutor, who sought five days custody of Bharti, said this was required also in connection with the investigation relating to his pet dog ‘Don’, for which an expert has already been consulted. He also alleged that Bharti had unleashed his dog on his wife when she was seven month pregnant and was bitten by it.
“The dog follows the command of its master. We want him to be present to check whether he reacts to his command. An expert has been asked to join in this matter,” the police said.
The police custody plea was opposed by advocate Vijay Aggarwal, who appeared for Bharti, saying the agency had enough time to go to different places and recover the articles as the complaint was lodged by his wife, Lipika Mitra, three months before the FIR was registered.
He also said there was no mention about any knife in the complaint lodged by his wife and it was she who had threatened to kill herself.
Regarding the jewellery, the politician’s counsel said these were taken away by his wife in December 2010 itself.
Bharti’s counsel contended that the dog was also available whenever the agency needed it for investigation and claimed that the Delhi legislator does not know anything about the missing articles which police wants to recover.
“When he (Bharti) is already saying he knows nothing about the missing articles, can the police be allowed to get the custody to have the opportunity to use third degree,” Aggarwal said, adding that “they (police) are going to plant some false evidence against me if given custody”.
However, the contention was opposed by the probe agency which said that “simply by saying that he can not help in recovery, one cannot escape the custodial interrogation.”
The AAP MLA had surrendered before police last evening after the Supreme Court ordered him to give up in the domestic violence and attempt to murder case filed by his wife. He was arrested around 4 AM this morning.
Bharti had on September 23 moved the apex court seeking protection from arrest in the case and a direction to restrain Delhi Police from arresting him till his plea challenging the High Court order is decided.
The High Court had dismissed his anticipatory bail plea, saying the allegations against him were backed by “documentary proof”.
Lipika had filed a complaint of domestic violence with the Delhi Commission for Women on June 10 alleging that her husband had been abusing her since their marriage in 2010. She had also given a complaint to the police in this regard.
Delhi Police had then registered an FIR against Bharti under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 498A (cruelty towards wife), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 313 read with 511 (attempt to cause miscarriage without woman’s consent), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel