Court refuses anticipatory bail to Somnath Bharti

A Delhi court today refused to grant anticipatory bail to Aam Aadmi Party MLA Somnath Bharti in a domestic violence and attempt to murder case filed against him by his wife.
Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Garg dismissed Bharti's application seeking bail, submitting that he was a former Delhi law minister and there was no chance that he would abscond.
Advocate Vijay Aggarwal, appearing for Bharti, told the court that his client still wanted to support his wife and children and was ready for mediation.
"I (Bharti) am a lawyer, ex-Delhi law minister and a public servant and there is no chance that I will abscond," Aggarwal said.

While opposing Bharti's plea, prosecutor Shailendra Babbar said the offences alleged against him were serious.
He said two notices have already been issued to him by the police for joining probe in the case but he was running away and not cooperating with the agency. He also claimed that Bharti was an influencial person due to which nobody was coming forward to depose against him.

The prosecutor said two FIRs were earlier registered against Bharti, including one on alleged molestation of African women.
He also said the politician's wife was called for mediation four times but it did not help.

Bharti's wife Lipika, who was present in the courtroom, opposed the anticipatory bail plea, saying "my small kids are suffering. I love my husband and that is why I suffered the abuse for five years."
On court's query if mediation was an option, she refused and said "no reconciliation is possible. He left me to die in front of my children."
Lipika had filed a complaint of domestic violence with the Delhi Commission for Women on June 10 alleging that her husband had been abusing her since their marriage in 2010. She had also given a complaint to police in this regard.

The Delhi Police had last week registered an FIR against Bharti under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 498A(cruelty towards partner in marriage), 324(voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC.