Delhi High Court on Thursday said that the former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti, granted him relief from being arrested until further order.
Bharti, booked in a domestic violence case, had moved court for anticipatory bail, which was extended to him by the court until 17 September earlier this.
Justice Suresh Kait, after hearing the arguments of police and Bharti, said that “no coercive steps be taken against Bharti” until the court pronounced its order.
The court observed that the interests of Bharti’s two children must be taken care of as they were suffering due to ongoing matrimonial discord.
Bharti’s wife, Lipika Mitra, who’s the complainant in the case, declined the suggestion, arguing that she was not interested in any reconciliation with the AAP MLA.
During the hearing, police said Bharti abused his wife and set his pet dog to attack her.
Mitra, who was present in the court, also told the judge that she wanted her ancestral jewellery back from her husband.
Appearing for Bharti, senior advocates Dayan Krishnan and Vijay Aggarwal told the court that Bharti was ready to deposit the money with the court in lieu of dowry articles.
Dayan Krishnan opposed police’s demand for custodial interrogation of the AAP leader.
Lipika, in her complaint, alleged that in March 2013, Bharti physically abused her, tried to strangulate her and set his dog upon her, due to which she suffered multiple injuries.
In June this year, Mitra had approached Delhi Commission for Women accusing the Malviya Nagar legislator of domestic abuse. She also accused her husband of leaving his dog on her.
Bharti, for his party has always denied these allegations and suspects his wife is being used for political gains by his rivals.
A close friend of Bharto told Jantakareporter.com on Thursday, “Somnath ji is extremely anguished by the development. He still loves his wife. But sadly, she doesn’t seem to realise how Somnath ji’s political rivals are using her.”
Reacting to the allegations that he had left his dog, Don, on Mitra, the former Delhi law minister said, ‘my dog cannot bite any one as he is a Golden Labrador,’ a breed that is usually very easygoing, of a kind temperament and friendly even with strangers.