With the lieutenant Governor (l-G) Najeeb Jung accepting the report of ASJ (retired) Bl Garg on the controversial midnight raid at Khirki Extension, the trouble for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former law Minister Somnath Bharti has increased further. The l-G while accepting the report has forwarded the same to
Delhi Police for further action as per provision of laws. Now it is up to Delhi Police to decide on the further course of action against Bharti.
The case pertains to the highly controversial raid by the then law Minister Somnath Bharti, where he reportedly tried to browbeat Delhi Police officers into registering a criminal case against certain Ugandan women who he suspected were involved in flesh trade and drug peddling. The report has indicted Bharti for his midnight drama and justified the police action as being in consonance with the situation.
Top sources told The Pioneer that the l-G has accepted the report of Bl Garg and forwarded the same for necessary action as per provisions of law. Interestingly, officials refrained from naming Bharti on the file fearing he may take revenge if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) comes to power. “It is now up to Delhi Police to decide on the further course of action,” informed sources.
Earlier, the l-G has sought permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to take action against Bharti after indictment by the Garg committee report. It may be recalled that the Home Department had sought comments from the law Department whether former law Minister Somnath Bharti should be added in the existing First Information Report (FIR) or a fresh FIR naming the former law Minister be filed.
The unsavoury controversy created by Bharti had created quite a stir in the national Capital as the then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal protested the inaction of Delhi Police Commissioner in transferring the Station House Officer (SHO) of Malviya Nagar Station and also sought to take action against ACP BS Jakhar for defying the Minister. The matter came to a head after Kejriwal yielded to a compromise formula and called off his agitation at Rail Bhavan crossing.
It would be pertinent to mention here that Delhi Police has registered a case against unknown persons under Sections 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code (IPC). No names were mentioned in the FIR since the complainants submitted by the victims do not have any names. The FIR was lodged on the directions of a city court.