NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday quashed an FIR which accused AAP MLA Somnath Bharti of domestic violence, after his wife expressed no objection to it. Justice Chander Shekhar allowed Bharti’s plea to quash the case after noting that Bharti and his wife Lipika are living happily together.
“Lipika Mitra joins me in informing all that we have bounced back because of the love we share,” Bharti responded to the court ruling.
Bharti and Lipika earlier informed the court they have settled the matrimonial dispute between them through mediation and they wanted to live together peacefully with their kids. The court had allowed Mitra to withdraw her plea seeking cancellation of the bail granted to him in the case in view of the settlement of their marital dispute. Mitra had on June 10, 2015 filed a complaint against him with the Delhi Commission for Women and an FIR was lodged by the police on September 9, 2015 for allegedly subjecting her to domestic violence and trying to kill her.
The Delhi Police had on April 5, 2016, filed a charge sheet before the trial court in the case and arrested Bharti in the wee hours of September 29, 2015. The trial court had later granted him bail. In a statement on Tuesday, Bharti said, “I want to humbly ask why a simple issue between husband and wife was blown up. What was the reason behind painting me as a demon in a case of marital misunderstanding? There can be countless reasons behind misunderstanding in an institution of marriage, but simply because I am a public representative and MLA of AAP, I was hounded like this.”“Today I am a happy family man and with folded hands I request to be left alone to serve the people of my constituency and for other good works that I intend to do in life,” he added.
‘BLOWN UP CASE’
In a statement on Tuesday, Bharti said, “I want to humbly ask why a simple issue between husband and wife was blown up.” Simply because I am a public representative and MLA of AAP, I was hounded like this,” he added. “With folded hands I request to be left alone to serve the people of my constituency and for other good works that I intend to do in life,” the AAP MLA requested.
(With agency inputs)