Somnath Bharti remanded to two-day police custody in connection with domestic violence case

New Delhi: Controversial AAP MLA Somnath Bharti, arrested in the wee hours in connection a domestic violence and attempt to murder case, was on Tuesday sent to police custody for two days by Delhi court.

41-year-old Bharti, who had surrendered before police last evening, was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Manika who remanded the former Delhi Law Minister to police custody till 1 October after the investigating agency said some recoveries were to be made from him.

The police, which sought five days custody of Bharti, said he was required for custodial interrogation as he has been evading arrest. He was also needed for recovery of a knife, some jewellery and other articles related to the case.

The special public prosecutor, appearing for the police, said that Bharti’s custody was also required in connection with the investigation relating to his pet dog ‘Don’, for which an expert has already been consulted. He also alleged that Bharti had unleashed his dog on his wife when she was pregnant and was bitten by it.

The police custody plea was opposed by advocate Vijay Aggarwal, who appeared for Bharti, saying the agency had enough time to go to different places and recover the articles as the FIR in the case was registered around three months ago after his wife lodged the complaint.

Aggarwal contended that the dog was also available whenever the agency needed it for investigation and claimed that Bharti does not know anything about the missing articles which police wants to recover.

“When he is already saying he knows nothing about the missing articles, can the police be allowed to get the custody to have the opportunity to use third degree,” he said, adding that “this will give the agency an opportunity to plant some false evidence”.

The AAP MLA had on Monday surrendered before police after the Supreme Court ordered him to give up by the evening in the domestic violence and attempt to murder case filed by his wife. He was arrested around 4 am on Tuesday morning.

Bharti had on 23 September moved the apex court seeking protection from arrest in the case and a direction to restrain Delhi Police from arresting him till his plea challenging the High Court order is decided.

The High Court had dismissed his anticipatory bail plea, saying the allegations against him were backed by “documentary proof”.

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 the police in this regard.

Delhi Police had then registered an FIR against Bharti under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 498A (cruelty towards wife), 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.

PTI