NEW DELHI: Former AAP Law Minister Somnath Bharti late on Monday surrendered before the Delhi Police, abiding by the Supreme Court’s direction in a case of domestic violence and attempt to murder filed against him by his wife here.
Bharti, along with two lawyers, reached Dwarka police station at 10.15 pm and flashed a copy of the Indian Constitution from his car. Speaking to mediapersons before entering the police station, Bharti said, “I wasn’t running from the law, I was availing of legal remedies available to me as per the Constitution. But Supreme Court has asked me to surrender, which is why I am doing so.”
Just before arriving there, Bharti had tweeted: ‘This too shall pass and truth prevails.”
Asked if Bharti would be arrested, Deependra Pathak, Joint CP, Delhi Police told Express, “It is the prerogative of the investigating officer to arrest or not to arrest Bharti.”
Earlier in the day, an SC bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu said, “We want him to surrender before appropriate police jurisdiction by this evening. We don’t intend to pass any further orders.” The bench had rejected the plea submitted by Bharti’s counsel and senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam that his client, who was absconding from the law, be given time till Tuesday to surrender.