Somnath Bharti’s wife, Lipika Mitra, and Delhi Women Commission chairperson Barkha Singh held a press conference at the latter’s residence on Monday afternoon.
Ms. Mitra had recently filed a case of domestic violence against her husband with the commission and is now seeking action against him. “I want a way out and full custody of our children,” she said.
Mr. Bharti, who is presently in Tamil Nadu, reacting to the case by calling the allegations levelled against him as baseless. However, his wife attended the press conference with e-mails she had written to him in the past, describing in detail the alleged physical abuse she had undergone.
Ms. Mitra said she had expected Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to come forward and help her. “But it seems he has now taken his (Bharti’s) side. My complaint is genuine and he is still not meeting me. I only want justice and a better future for my kids,” she said.
Earlier, Mr. Bharti in his defence, had said that he was estranged from his wife.
“He said that for three years he had been estranged from me. He is trying to raise questions over my dignity and our children. How can a husband say this?” she said.
When asked if Bharti had tried contacting her, she said that he had messaged her on the day she filed the complaint saying “Are you working for BJP or is the police instigating you to do this?”
Ms. Mitra, who calls it a love marriage, met Bharti through a matrimonial site. “I have to be a fool or be madly in love with a man to foot the bill for our reception, pay for the honeymoon and take care of his expenses.”
During the conference, a woman claiming to be Mr. Bharti’s defence counsel came in and said she had a message for Lipika from her mother-in law. However, she was shown the door before she could say anything. “This conference is held in my personal capacity and someone cannot just barge into my house,” said Ms. Singh. She alleged that Ms. Mitra’s details in Mr. Bharti’s affidavit were wrong.
