Somnath Bharti should join domestic violence abuse probe, says Delhi Police

Joint Commissioner (Southwestern Range) Deependra Pathak on Tuesday said that the non-baillable warrant that has been served on former AAP minister Somnath Bharti means that he should join the investigation of a domestic violence case filed against him.

"The anticipatory bail was dismissed yesterday. We have obtained a non-bailable warrant and we hope that he will join the investigation, and we are also trying to locate him. Till now, he has not joined the investigation," Pathak said.

Wanted in a case of domestic abuse with charges that include attempt to murder, Somnath Bharti, the Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Law Minister of Delhi, has not been located so far by the city police.

"The complaint given by his wife (Lipika) was enquired through an investigative mechanism of the Crime Against Women (CAW) cell. The case was filed according to all the facts and circumstances. After that, reconsolidation and counseling was also done, and when Bharti failed in this, and under the insistence of his wife, the FIR was lodged," he added.

He further said, "The complaint does have the information about the particular day when she was almost strangulated by him and that he let the pet dog bite her. And, that is the part of her complaint and in the FIR. So, it is a cross reference. We are looking for various evidences."

Pathak said that jumping to any conclusion is neither advisable nor professional.

Lipika had filed a complaint with the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) in June, accusing Somnath of committing acts of domestic violence and mental torture since 2010.

Bharti was earlier named in an FIR filed under several Sections of the Indian Penal code (IPC), including domestic violence and attempt to murder.

Lipika has been married to Bharti since 2010, but has been living separately from him since 2012 along with the couple's two children in a rented accommodation in Dwarka.