Ignoring the Aam Aadmi Party government’s view, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has given his nod to prosecute former Delhi law minister and party MLA Somnath Bharti in connection with alleged misbehaviour with African women during a midnight raid in south Delhi in January, 2014.
“LG has given the police sanction to prosecute Bharti. However, home minister Satyendra Jain recently suggested that prosecution sanction should not be given against Bharti,” LG office sources said.
The sources said that taking cognisance of seriousness of the case, Jung has given his approval for Bharti’s prosecution.
Earlier this year, a court had asked the police to get prosecution sanction against Bharti from the competent authority.
The LG’s decision comes amid a running turf battle with Arvind Kejriwal government and is likely to further embitter relations between the two.
In its chargesheet filed in September last year, police had said that “nine African women were victims of molestation and manhandling by a mob led by Bharti” in Khirki Extension area.
On the intervening night of January 15-16, Bharti and his supporters had allegedly forcibly detained and threatened some African women during a confrontation with police in his constituency of Malviya Nagar over inaction against a suspected drug and prostitution ring.
Bharti, who was then a minister in the AAP government, had denied the charges.
Earlier, Former Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti created a flutter by saying that “beautiful women” would be able to go out at midnight provided the Aam Aadmi Party government takes over policing system in the national capital.
“I am fully confident that if Delhi government is given full freedom (over security), beautiful women will be able to go out even after midnight without any fear.
“We will provide a fully-secure Delhi,” Somnath Bharti said on Monday during a discussion on setting up of ‘Commission of Inquiry’ in the Delhi assembly.
Bharti’s comment evoked sharp reaction from both the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress.
“It is absolutely disgusting and derogatory towards women, but it is not surprising coming from someone who defied law even when he was law minister. It really shows his attitude,” Delhi Congress chief spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee said.
Senior BJP leader Vijendra Gupta, who is the Opposition leader in the Delhi assembly, said that it is “highly objectionable remark” of the AAP leader.
“The remark shows what he thinks about women. It is a highly objectionable remark of Bharti. He made a comment in presence of the chief minister who did not stop him from using such words for women,” Gupta said.
However, Bharti defended his remarks saying it was just a figure of speech.
“I said it in context of setting a benchmark. Sometimes beauty can become a bane. It is just a figure of speech... to convey the benchmark we intend to keep” while addressing issue of security, he said.
