New Delhi: The police on Friday alleged in the Delhi high court that former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti used to harass and beat his wife, Lipika Mitra, who has sought cancellation of his bail in a domestic violence case.
The submission was made by the Delhi police before Justice I.S. Mehta, who is hearing Ms Mitra’s plea seeking cancellation of Mr Bharti’s bail on several grounds, including the issue that the trial court had not applied its mind while granting relief to the AAP legislator.
The police, who has filed its affidavit following the court’s direction, also submitted that an AIIMS medical board has opined that the scars on the petitioner’s body could be due to dog bites and burn injuries.
“Somnath Bharti used to harass, beat and abuse the petitioner (wife) from the very beginning of their marriage, despite having knowledge about the frail health conditions of the petitioner. The medical record produced by the petitioner was examined and verified and it shows that she was suffering from diabetes and hypertension at the time of pregnancy,” it said.
The MLA, who was granted bail on October 7, 2015, had denied the allegations levelled against him by his wife. Ms Mitra had moved the high court challenging the bail order, saying it was almost like a verdict. She said that the trial court had relied on the case diary, which allegedly should not have been done at that stage. She had lodged a case of domestic violence and attempted murder against her husband.
The AAP leader was arrested in the early hours of September 29, 2015, after the Supreme Court had ordered him to surrender. In its affidavit the police has also said that barring the expenses on the delivery of their first child, all other treatment charges and expenses on the second delivery were paid by Mr Bharti’s wife.
Ms Mitra’s counsel, Rahul Kumar, urged the court to list the matter for early hearing saying it has already been delayed for over one year.
