Somnath Bharti evading probe, issued another notice

Delhi Police on Saturday issued a fresh notice to former law minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Somnath Bharti for avoiding investigation in a domestic violence case.

"We have issued a fresh and second consecutive notice to Somnath Bharti today (Saturday). The notice has been served at his residence in Malviya Nagar," Joint Commissioner of Police (Southwestern Range), Dipendra Pathak told IANS.

Pathak said if he or any of his relatives would not receive the notice, it will be pasted there.

Pathak said that Bharti had assured the police on Friday he would join the investigation after he was issued the first notice but he did not turn up.

"We hope Bharti will join the probe soon. If he joins the probe it doesn't mean we will arrest him. Legal action will surely be taken against him, if he continued evading police notices," Pathak told IANS.

Bharti was issued a notice on Thursday by Delhi Police to join the probe on Friday by 11 a.m. but he did not respond and went underground.

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.