File final report on Bharti's midnight campaign, court to police

A court here Saturday asked Delhi Police to file its final report by Sep 10 in a probe against "unknown" people for creating a ruckus during a controversial campaign led by then Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti against an alleged drug and prostitution racket.

Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Kumar asked police to file the report on the investigation and fixed Sep 10 as the next date of hearing.

Police Jan 19 lodged a first information report (FIR) against unknown accused on the court's direction and booked them under 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 moved by a Ugandan woman seeking registration of an FIR against unknown people for creating a ruckus during the campaign between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Jan 16 in Khirki Extension area of south Delhi.

Advocate Rakesh Sherawat, appearing for the Ugandan woman, told the court his client learnt through the media that the people taking part in the midnight campaign were from the Aam Aadmi Party, led by then minister Bharti.

However, Bharti was not named in the complaint.

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