In a setback to controversial Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti, who is an accused in a domestic violence case, the police on Friday told the Delhi High Court that a medical report has opined the scars on his wife’s body were “due to dog bites and burn injuries”.
‘Cancel bail’
The investigators also alleged before Justice I. S. Mehta that the former Delhi Law Minister used to harass and beat Lipika Mitra, who has sought cancellation of his bail in the domestic violence case lodged by her.
The MLA, who was granted bail on October 7, 2015, after an eight-day jail stay, has denied the allegations against him. His counsel on Friday told the court that they would like to file a rejoinder.
The police, who filed the affidavit following the court’s direction, also submitted orally that an “AIIMS medical board had opined the scars on the woman’s [Ms. Mitra’s] body were due to dog bites and burn injuries”.
The investigators had on April 5 last year filed a charge sheet stating that Ms. Mitra had alleged Mr. Bharti had endangered the life of their unborn child by unleashing his dog on her.
“An AIIMS medical board examined six photos in connection with the treatment history of dog bites at Ayushman Hospital [in Dwarka] here. We are also of the opinion that the scars could be due to dog bite injuries,” the police affidavit stated, adding that some injury marks were “due to burns”.
Medical record
The affidavit added: “Mr. Bharti used to harass, beat and abuse the petitioner [his wife] from the very beginning of their marriage, despite having knowledge about her frail health. The medical record produced by the petitioner was examined and verified. It shows that she was suffering from diabetes and hypertension at the time of pregnancy.”
The affidavit claimed there was sufficient evidence on record against the Malviya Nagar MLA for alleged offences, including attempt to murder, act done with intent to prevent a child from being born alive or to cause it to die after birth, and causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means.
Further, the police said, there was a case of alleged dowry harassment and criminal breach of trust along with a charge of cheating and criminal intimidation against him under the Indian Penal Code. Ms. Mitra had moved the High Court challenging the bail order, saying it was almost like a verdict and that the trial court had relied on the case diary. She had on June 10, 2015, lodged a complaint against him with the Delhi Commission for Women. An FIR was lodged by the Delhi Police on September 9, 2015, for allegedly subjecting her to domestic violence and trying to kill her. Mr. Bharti was arrested in the early hours of September 29, 2015, after the Supreme Court ordered him to surrender.
‘Early hearing’
The police also informed the court that they had filed a charge sheet in the matter before a trial court, which had taken cognisance of the matter and posted it for hearing on May 20. Taking on record the affidavit filed by the police, the High Court posted the matter for October 24. Ms. Mitra’s counsel urged the court to list the matter for early hearing saying it has already been delayed by over a year.
