The Delhi Police may book former Delhi law Minister and AAP leader Somnath Bharti for disclosing the identity of the 51-year-old Danish tourist who was gang-raped at knifepoint by eight men near New Delhi Railway station in the Capital. Delhi Police have sought legal opinion whether a First Information Report (FIR) can be lodged against Bharti.
Bharti had created quite a stir by conducting a raid at Khirki Extension in South Delhi and public upbraided Delhi Police officials for allowing flesh trade and drug peddling in Khirki Extension areas under the jurisdiction of Malviya Nagar police station.
Police sources said that few days back, a complaint was received from the Delhi BJP unit at Hauz Khas police station, but the concerned police station later transferred the complaint at Central Delhi’s IP Estate police station. “We have received a complaint but no FIR has been registered. After receiving the complaint, senior officers suggested taking the legal opinion from the director of prosecution of Delhi before making a watertight case against the former law Minister Bharti,” the sources added.
Sources further stated that the complaint was forwarded by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Alok Kumar and they also informed the legal experts that after revealing the identity of gang-rape victim, Bharti later acknowledged his mistake. “There is a strong possibility that police may register a case under Section 228 (A) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) at IP Estate police station,” police sources said, adding that Section 228 (A) bars disclosing the identity of the victim of certain offences, including rape. Being a cognisable offence, it attracts two years imprisonment. The complainant, in his complaint, told the police that Bharti named the victim in a Press release issued by him.