Somnath Bharti sent to judicial custody till Monday

Controversial AAP MLA and former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti was Sunday sent to Tihar Jail for a day by a Delhi Court, in an alleged domestic violence and attempt to murder case lodged by his wife.

Controversial AAP MLA and former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti was Sunday sent to Tihar Jail for a day by a Delhi Court, in an alleged domestic violence and attempt to murder case lodged by his wife.

AAP MLA Somnath Bharti is escorted by Police to Dwarka court in New Delhi on Tuesday. (PTI)

Duty magistrate Sudhir Kumar Sirohi remanded Bharti to judicial custody till Monday after the investigating agency did not seek his further custody.

The court, however, asked the police to produce him before the concerned trial court on Monday.

41-year-old AAP MLA was produced before the court today on expiry of his three-day police remand.

In its application, Delhi police said that Bharti be sent to 14-day judicial custody as the custodial interrogation in the case is not needed.

Advocate Vijay Aggarwal, appearing for Bharti, however, argued before the court that the politician be sent to only one-day judicial custody.

“His matter is listed before the Supreme Court tomorrow for the purpose of mediation between him (Bharti) and his wife... The court should please send him to one-day judicial custody with a direction to the police to produce him before the Supreme Court tomorrow,” Aggarwal said.

Bharti told the court that his wife has been called for reconciliation and his presence is needed. “I will be the one who will be confronted,” Bharti contended.

The police, however, opposed the defence counsel’s request for a direction to produce Bharti before the Supreme Court.

“There is no such specific direction to police from the Supreme Court to produce the accused (Bharti) before it,” the police said.

After hearing submissions from both the sides, the court refused to direct the police to produce him before the Supreme Court.

During the hearing, Bharti alleged that the he was mentally harassed by the police in their custody.

The AAP MLA was arrested in the wee hours on September 29 after the Supreme Court ordered him to surrender. Since then, he has been in police custody.