NEW DELHI: Delhi Police said it will issue a second notice to former Law Minister Somnath Bharti, who has been booked for attempt to murder, domestic violence and other criminal charges on his wife's complaint, after he did not turn up for questioning before it.
"Bharti is evading the probe and we will issue the second notice to him. He did not turn up for questioning yesterday despite being given a notice a night before," said Dependra Pathak, Joint Commissioner of Police (South-West).
Police claimed that after being served the first notice, Bharti had agreed to come to Dwaraka North Police Station at 11 AM yesterday but he failed to fulfill his commitment. "When later in the afternoon a police team was sent to his residence at Malviya Nagar it was found locked. Police then tried to track him throughout the day but failed," Pathak said.
"The second notice will be affixed at his residence today asking him to join the probe immediately," he added. On Wednesday, Delhi Police had registered an FIR against the AAP leader, three months after his wife Lipika Mitra filed a case of domestic violence against him, levelling serious charges including that of "unleashing" dogs on her when she was pregnant.
Mitra also told the police that on March 27 and 28, Bharti had allegedly subjected her to severe violence and also tried to slit her wrist.