Controversial AAP MlA Somnath Bharti, evading arrest for the third consecutive day in a domestic violence and attempt to murder case lodged by his wife, is behaving like a “professional criminal”, Delhi Police said on Thursday.
“Bharti is evading arrest and behaving just like a professional criminal, changing his locations and mobile phones from time to time,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Dependra Pathak.
He said several police teams have been deployed in the operation and they have been sent to various potential hideouts of the former law Minister, who is being looked out after the Delhi High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail plea more than 48 hours ago.
In the past two days, police have questioned around 12 people inquiring about Bharti’s whereabouts. All of his harbours are under police scanner for allegedly hiding Bharti, which in itself is a criminal offence, said Pathak.
Bharti was last located in a village near Agra, and by the time a police team could reach there, he changed his location, said a source in west district of Delhi Police, adding that the MlA has changed locations around four times in the past 24 hours and have been around Agra.
Bharti is also believed to have changed around three mobile phones in the same period, to evade being tracked down by the police. “All who have helped Bharti by providing him shelter, logistics, mobile phones and other articles, helping him to evade arrest, have committed criminal offence,” said a senior police official.
The senior official added that the Delhi Police has resorted to legal counselling and they are likely to register a separate FIR against people who have allegedly harboured Somnath Bharti.
So far police have questioned Bharti’s brother loknath Bharti - whose name is also present on the complaint filed by Bharti’s wife lipika Mitra - and Bharti’s private secretary, apart from a few other employees in Bharti’s office and party workers from Malviya Nagar and Khirki Extension areas about his whereabouts.
Bharti’s private secretary is suspected to be the last person whom the MlA had met before he became untraceable, the senior official added.
The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear on Monday the bail plea of AAP MlA Somnath Bharti seeking protection from arrest.
The High Court had dismissed his anticipatory bail plea, saying the allegations against him were backed by “documentary proof.