Court dismisses Bharti plea seeking FIR against erring cops

A court here Monday dismissed former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti's plea seeking registration of a first information report against erring policemen and other unidentified people for allegedly conducting a biased probe into the alleged January midnight raid case.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tarun Yogesh dismissed Bharti's plea. "In the present facts and circumstances filing of chargesheet by investigating agency, any allegation of unfair or bias investigation cannot be separated from the discharge of official duty by investigating officer," the court said.

The court also dismissed a criminal defamation case filed against a magistrate by Bharti's counsel.

Bharti, in his plea, had sought an FIR against unidentified police officials under various charges dealing with framing incorrect record, corruptly making report, making false charge of offence with intent to injure and various other things.

Bharti and others were charge sheeted Sep 29 under 16 sections of the Indian Penal Code, including ou traging the modesty of women in the case. In the charge sheet, a document of over 100 pages, police have cited around 41 prosecution witnesses, including nine African women, to buttress the charges.

Police lodged a first information report Jan 19 against "unidentified accused" on the court's direction and booked them on various charges dealing with wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation and act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.

The court order came on a plea by a Ugandan woman who sought registration of an FIR against unidentified people for creating a ruckus during the raid between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. in Khirki Extension here Jan 16.

The minister allegedly visited a house in Khirki Extension after receiving complaints about an alleged prostitution and drug racket in the area.