Former Delhi law Minister Somnath Bharti refused to talk during his questioning in the presence of his wife lipika Mitra in the room of the Investigating Officer (IO) on Sunday.
The couple was asked many questions by the IO to corroborate the allegations of domestic violence and attempt to murder, made by Mitra, but Bharti refused to speak a single word while he was sitting face to face with his estranged wife. Senior police officers said that they would soon file the charge sheet in the case.
Bharti and his wife faced each other for over two hours at Dwarka Sector-23 police station where Bharti had been kept in the lock up.
“Bharti and his wife were made to sit together in the IO’s room. He was asked several questions but refused to say anything in front of Mitra fearing that it might go against him. While Mitra answered,
Bharti remained mum,” said a police source.
In another development, Bharti was on Sunday sent to Tihar Jail for a day by a Delhi Court, in the case. Duty Magistrate Sudhir Kumar Sirohi remanded Bharti to judicial custody till Monday after the investigating agency did not seek his further custody. The court, however, asked the police to produce him before the concerned trial court on Monday. The 41-year-old was produced before the court on expiry of his police remand.
Interestingly, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MlA from Malviya Nagar, broke down during questioning by the police on Thursday, called his wife a “liar” and said she has leveled bogus charges against him.
On Thursday also, he came face to face with his wife when he was taken to the Dwarka residence of his wife during the investigation.
He, however remained evasive during questioning said a police officer.
It may be noted that the former Delhi law Minister was in police custody since Tuesday after he surrendered before the police on the direction of the Supreme Court in the domestic violence and attempt to murder case.
On Thursday, police included Section 212 (harbouring offender) of the Indian Penal Code in the FIR registered against him, and also said that they have identified five people who allegedly sheltered the legislator while he was on the run. On Friday, he was taken to Agra in search of Nattha Singh and lal Singh who allegedly harbored him.