NEW DELHI: A city court on Saturday sentenced Aam Aadmi Party MLA Somnath Bharti to two years imprisonment for assaulting an AIIMS security staff in 2016. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
But Bharti was granted bail to enable him to file an appeal before the high court. Immediately after his conviction, the BJP demanded Bharti’s disqualification. The court convicted Bharti for various offences under the Indian Penal Code, including under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) and 147 (rioting).
Reacting to the sentencing, Bharti said: “I have full faith in the judiciary and am filing an appeal against the order. Justice will prevail because of the rights given in the constitution of India.” The AAP said in a statement said “injustice” had been meted out to Bharti. “We respect the judiciary and have full faith in the judiciary.”