Somnath Bharti did not join probe: Police

A day after getting a Delhi Police notice in a case of domestic violence and attempt to murder his wife, Aam Aadmi Party legislator Somnath Bharti did not join the probe on Friday.

Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi said on Friday that Bharti was issued a notice to join the probe in the case registered against him, but he did not appear.

"We called him (Bharti), but he did not come. I think, he might be late because of some work but he will possibly join the probe very soon," Bassi said.

The former law minister was issued a notice on Thursday by Delhi Police to join the probe on Friday.

The police chief also said that appropriate legal action would be taken against him if he avoided the probe.

"If he does not appear before police or reply to the notice he was served, an appropriate legal action would be taken against him," Bassi said.

Bassi said that Bharti had received the police notice but the police are waiting for his response.

Bharti was on Thursday named in a First Information Report (FIR) filed under several sections of the Indian Penal code (IPC), including domestic violence and attempt to murder, at Dwarka North police station in west Delhi.

Police said they filed the FIR following the June 10 complaint of Bharti's wife Lipika Mitra.

It was alleged in the complaint by Mitra that Bharti has been abusing her ever since their marriage in 2010. She also claimed that Bharti beat and tortured her and even tried to kill her once.

--Indo-Asian news service

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