NEW DELHI: AAP MLA Somnath Bharti faces arrest in connection with a domestic violence and attempt to murder case lodged by his wife as the Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to grant him anticipatory bail.
Barkha Singh Asks Kejriwal to Advise Somnath to Cooperate With Investigation Former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Barkha Shukla Singh on Tuesday asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to advise AAP MLA Somnath Bharti to cooperate with the investigation in the domestic violence case. |
"This petition (for anticipatory bail) is dismissed," Justice Suresh Kait said.
Soon after the order was pronounced, advocate Vijay Aggarwal, who appeared for Bharti, told the media that the MLA can be arrested, "but there are other legal remedies and many doors are still open".
Speaking to the news agency, Somnath Bharti's lawyer said, "We will move to Supreme Court immediately. We had hoped that High Court would be sympathetic."
The high court had on September 17 reserved its verdict while protecting Bharti from arrest till pronouncement of its order.
The court had also pulled the MLA for going to the police station at late night, saying, "If he loves going to police station, then I will send him from here....Once you (Bharti) get relief, you act like a lion and go here and there."
Bharti had moved the high court seeking protection from arrest after a trial court denied him anticipatory bail and another court issued a non-bailable warrant against him.
Bharti's plea for anticipatory bail was rejected by trial court observing that it was the second complaint filed against the MLA by his wife Lipika Mitra, who has alleged that he did not mend his conduct despite assurance before Crime Against Women Cell of the police.
Delhi police had registered a case against Bharti following her wife Lipika's complaint of domestic violence with the Delhi Commission for Women on June 10.
Among other sections of the Indian Penal Code, Bharti is also booked under section 307 (attempt to murder), which attracts a punishment of up to 10 years in jail. Among other sections are 498A (cruelty towards partner in marriage), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation).