Delhi court defers hearing in midnight raid case

A court in Delhi on Friday deferred the hearing in a case against former state law minister Somnath Bharti on the alleged molestation of African women during a midnight raid last year.

The Delhi Police submitted a report before the court that it has informed the concerned sanction authority of the state government over seeking seeking sanction on a priority basis for prosecuting Bharti.

Metropolitan Magistrate Ankita Lal has directed the concerned deputy commissioner of police to expedite process for obtaining the sanction after police informed her that the sanction to prosecute Bharti is still awaited from the competent authority.

Bharti and others were chargesheeted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including outraging the modesty of women in the case.

Police lodged a First Information Report (FIR) on January 19, 2014 against "unknown accused" on the court's direction and booked them for various charges dealing with wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation and acts intended to outrage the modesty of a woman.

The court order came on a plea by an Ugandan woman who sought registration of an FIR against unknown people for creating ruckus during the raid between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. in Khirki Extension here on January 16, 2014.

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