Court seeks Delhi Police's answer on Bharti raid

A Delhi court Thursday sought a reply from Delhi Police on a fresh plea seeking that a complaint be lodged against "unknown accused" for creating a ruckus during a midnight raid led by Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti.

Earlier, police were instructed by the court to file a First Information Report (FIR) in the matter after a complaint was made Jan 19 by an African woman about the raid, conducted between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., Jan 16.

Metropolitan Magistrate Chetna Singh, on a fresh plea in the matter filed by another African woman, Thursday directed the deputy commissioner of police of south Delhi to file a report by Jan 25.

"An FIR has been registered against unknown accused in the Malviya Nagar police station under various charges dealing with wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation and acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman," a police officer said, speaking of action taken since the first complaint was made.

Police had said on Sunday that the magistrate has ordered the registration of a case against a few unknown people, who were part of the raid team led by Bharti.

Bharti is not named in the complaint on which the court was issuing instructions Saturday and Thursday.

Advocate Rakesh Sherawat, appearing for the complainant, told the court Thursday that his client had come to know through the media that the assailants were from the Aam Aadmi Party, led by their local MLA (Somnath Bharti).

The minister had gone to a house in Khirki, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Malviya Nagar police station, last week after receiving complaints about an alleged prostitution and drug racket in the area.

Early Sunday, Bharti said he had no information about the orders of the court. "I have no idea of any case being registered. If anyone has filed such a case, I will go and present my stand," he told reporters.

The fresh complaint is filed by a woman from Uganda who was in India for medical treatment, believing that the country offered high quality medical facilities.

The woman said more than 10 men threatened her, carrying wooden sticks, and told her that if the door was not opened to them, she would be shot. She said the mob referred to her as a bad person and made many objectionable comments.

The complainant said that she later recognised on TV some of the people in the mob, who trespassed, assaulted, misbehaved, threatened and molested her.

The woman requested the court to take necessary action against the accused people, and said she could identify some of the men who were part of the mob.