Delhi High Court declines anticipatory bail plea, AAP MLA Somnath Bharti faces arrest

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Somnath Bharti’s anticipatory bail plea, clearing the way for his possible arrest, news channels reported. “This petition (for anticipatory bail) is dismissed,” Justice Suresh Kait said. Bharti had approached the court seeking protection from arrest in a case of domestic violence case filed by his wife. Speaking to the media, the AAP leader’s lawyer say that he would approach the Supreme Court to seek protection from arrest. [caption id=“attachment_2441782” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Somnath Bharti. Image courtesy:Facebook[/caption] The public prosecutor in the matter, however, said that Bharti, as a responsible citizen, should co-operate in the investigations, and said that his arrest was possible. Earlier, the court had pulled the MLA for going to the police station late at night, saying, “If he loves going to the police station, then I will send him from here….Once you (Bharti) get relief, you act like a lion and go here and there.” Bharti had said he has joined investigations on three occasions, and also claimed that the police was prejudiced against him due to his issuance of a notice to the Commissioner of Police in a separate matter which has ’led to the malicious and vindictive conduct of the commissioner in the case in order to frame and persecute him’. His anticipatory bail plea stated that as he was the chairman of the Privileges Committee of the state Assembly, Bharti was tasked to issue notice to the commissioner for breach of privilege in a matter. Seeking cancellation of the non-bailable warrant issued against him, Bharti said it had no purpose as he was not absconding from the law. The Delhi Police has 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), 313 read with 511 (attempt to cause miscarriage without woman’s consent), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC. With inputs from PTI