BJP demands Somnath Bharti's resignation

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a protest Wednesday demanding the resignation of Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti, who had been pulled up by a court for "tampering with evidence" in a case he handled last year.

The demonstration was led by BJP leader Arti Mehra, and people raised slogans against the law minister.

"The law minister has been accused of tampering with the evidence. On top of that, they say the court is wrong. A law minister cannot do an unlawful thing," Mehra, a former mayor of Delhi, said.

"It is a big issue, so we will also submit a memorandum to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanding his removal," Mehra said.

A media report Tuesday said Bharti, then an advocate, had been pulled up by special Central Bureau of Investigation court judge Poonam A. Bamba last August along with his client Pawan Kumar, who was facing charges of corruption, for influencing the prosecution witness by speaking to him on the phone and discussing the case.