Somnath Bharti used to beat his wife, cops tell Delhi HC

Bharti’s wife Lipika Mitra has sought cancellation of his bail in a domestic violence case.

Delhi police on Friday told the Delhi High Court that former Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti used to harass and beat his wife Lipika Mitra, who has sought cancellation of his bail in a domestic violence case.

Somnath Bharti (HT File Photo)

The submission was made by the Delhi Police before Justice IS Mehta, who is hearing Mitra’s plea seeking cancellation of Bharti’s bail on several grounds, including that the trial court had not applied its mind while granting the relief to the AAP legislator.

The police submitted that an AIIMS medical board has said the scars on the woman’s body could be due to dog bites and burn injuries.

“Somnath Bharti used to harass, beat and abuse the petitioner (wife) from the very beginning of the marriage, despite having knowledge about the frail health conditions of the petitioner,” the police said.

The MLA, who was granted bail on October 7, 2015, had denied the allegations levelled against him by his wife.

Lipika had moved the high court challenging the bail order, saying it was almost like a verdict and the trial court had relied on the case diary which allegedly should not have been done at that stage.

She had lodged a case of domestic violence and attempt to murder against her husband.

The police, in its affidavit, has also said that barring the expenses on the delivery of their first child, all other treatment charges and expenses on the second delivery were paid by Bharti’s wife.

It claimed there was sufficient evidence on record for alleged offences under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 315 (act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 498A (harassment caused to woman by husband or in-laws), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 417 (punishment for cheating), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC against Bharti.