The Saket Court in the Capital relied on the video footage while ordering criminal case for misbehaving with the African women. The court in its order also directed the Delhi Police to show the video footage to the complainants. “The video footage of the incident in South Delhi last week be shown to the foreign nationals for identification,” Metropolitan Magistrate Chetna Singh said. The FIR will be filed against those identified by the foreign nationals, the magistrate said. The FIR registered at Malviya Nagar police station does not mention the name of Bharti. Television footage on news channels had shown the Minister asking police officers to conduct the raid, saying he had received complaints of drugs and prostitution racket in that area.
The women have in their complaint said that they were assaulted by the group which had barged into their house. Rakesh Sherawat, vice-chairman of the Delhi Bar Council and counsel for the complainant had moved the court seeking action against them. “The Minister and his associates were involved in the incident. The women can identify the persons through video footage and newspaper clippings,” he said adding, “The police was forced to act on the directions of the Minister which is illegal. Moreover, the law doesn’t allow anyone to raid a woman’s residence after 7 pm.”
The court has ordered the registration of FIR against the persons under Sections 451 (house trespass), 427 (mischief), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 509 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of IPC. The police have also added Section 354 (molestation), 341 (illegal restrain) and 153A (promoting enmity on basis of religion or race) of IPC. The women — two Nigerians and two Ugandans — had approached the court on Saturday with the application seeking registration of FIR before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vivek Gogia, who refused to accept the application and directed them to approach the police for the same. The magistrate told them that in case police turns down their request, they can file an appropriate application before this court.
The women have alleged in their petition that they were subjected to a cavity search during their medical examination at AIIMS, which was a humiliating experience. They also alleged that the Minister and his people had asked them in public to give urine samples. “There are no names in the FIR; however, the victims have stated that they can recognise the accused once they are shown to them. A Test Identification Parade will be conducted to identify the accused men,” said a senior police official.
Meanwhile, Bharti said that the whole incident has been recorded by the TV cameras present there. “I don’t think any of our workers hit anyone there or said anything to anyone. We are the people who get beaten up and abused. We do not abuse anyone. The second thing and the biggest mistake being made by everyone is that no one is paying attention to the problem of drugs which is ruining our youth,” said Bharti, reacting to the court’s order.