Midnight raid: Court to consider chargesheet Jan 16

A court here Thursday fixed Jan 16 next year for considering the chargesheet filed against Delhi's then law minister Somnath Bharti and others in connection with raids in Khirki Extension here.

Metropolitan Magistrate Ankita Lal after observing that investigating officer was not present in the court during hearing, ordered him to remain present positively on the next date fixed for hearing.

Bharti and others were chargesheeted under 16 sections of the Indian Penal Code, including outraging the modesty of women in the case, Sep 29.

Police lodged a first information report Jan 19 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 a ruckus during the raid between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. in Khirki Extension here Jan 16 this year.

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