New Delhi/ Nagpur: In much talked about domestic violence case and Appex Court’s severe indict as well as being unable to evade arrest any more, AAP leader Somnath Bharti surrendered to Delhi police on Monday. He was arrested and placed under 2-day Police Custody Remand on Tuesday, said the media reports.
According to available reports, Somnath Bharti demanded home-made food, fresh clothing, fruits and medicines while in custody, and he has filed an application before appropriate authority for the same.
After creating a long dramatic scene over his episode and trying to escape the trap of police, he was left with no other option but to surrender to the police which was hunting for him like ‘cat and mice’ race since various courts’ negative injunctions on his anticipatory bails applications, which he had desperately moved.
The otherwise forlorn Dwarka locality had remained abuzz all day with cops, media personnel and other inquisitive locals, as they all expected the controversial leader to arrive any moment.
Police officials on duty said they were not sure if Bharti would surrender. For, Despite a Supreme Court’s order and his counsel’s promise that he would actually do so by 6.30 pm on Monday, Bharti’s lawyer, in a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejariwal on the same day, had specifically mentioned that Bharti was travelling, and “not available in Delhi. He was willing to make himself available for further interrogation on Tuesday onwards”.
Bharti, against whom a case of attempt to murder his wife and domestic violence was registered by Delhi police on his wife Lipika Mitra’s complaint, was directed to surrender after his anticipatory bail was rejected by both High court and Apex Court.
“We want him to surrender before appropriate jurisdiction of the police by this evening. We don’t intend to pass any further order,” a bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu had said on Monday.
Rejecting his counsel senior advocate Gopal Subramanian’s prayer to grant time till tomorrow, the court said,“As a responsible citizen what should have been your conduct after both trial court and high court rejected your plea (anticipatory bail plea).”
While Subramaniam submitted that the whole incident was an outcome of the matrimonial dispute, the bench said it was not concerned with the issue at this stage.
“You went for anticipatory bail before the trial court, you did not succeed. You went before the high court, you did not succeed. What is your duty as a responsible citizen,” the bench said and added “First you surrender, then we will see whether the matter should be referred to mediation centre. We want family dispute to be sorted out but we can’t be saying that we will be protecting an absconder.”
“We will find out from his wife whether she is ready to sit for mediation. We want families to live together. We don’t want disruption in family life,” the bench also said.
After court’s observation, his counsel assured the court that his client would surrender before the police by 6.30pm.
Ever since a trial court issued an NBW against Bharti, the Delhi police had spent dozens of sleepless nights trying to nab him. Party members had also stopped supporting him, with Kejariwal publicly asking him to surrender in a tweet. There were widespread speculations about him taking refuge in Agra, but there was no confirmation.
Bharti, however, had chosen to remain elusive till Monday keeping his location a mystery.
“On the other hand, Bharti’s lawyer’s letter to Kejariwal stated that Bharti is ‘avoiding’ arrest, but not ‘evading’ arrest, and that he is exhausting all legal options which is perfectly his right before surrendering to ‘distinctly partisan and biased investigating agency’.
“Which sane person deliberately puts his head in the mouth of a hungry lion ?” the letter stated, also seeking a time with Kejariwal for a meeting to “advance the objectives of a lawful and fair investigation while protecting the interests of my client.”
“I was not running away from law..I was only availing legal remedies available in Constitution. Since supreme court has asked me to surrender, I am complying the order,” Bharti had said just before surrendering.
