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Delhi HC sets aside NHRC order against Somnath Bharti

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कोई हिंसा नहीं करता, पत्नी राजनीति छुड़ाना चाहती है: सोमनाथ

NEW DELHI: A day after AAP’s law minister, Jitender Tomar, resigned after being arrested on allegations of having forged his degrees, his predecessor, Somnath Bharti, landed in serious trouble. The Malviya Nagar MLA’s wife, Lipika Mitra, accused him of prolonged domestic violence on Wednesday and went to Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and Delhi Police with her complaint.A tearful Lipika filed a complaint of physical and mental abuse against her husband with DCW, seeking police protection for herself and her two small children – a four-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. The DCW has served the two-time MLA a notice and summoned him on June 26. If he fails to show up, said chairperson Barkha Singh, the commission will file a police case against him.Bharti has said the allegations are baseless. He told news channels: “I have always loved my wife. I don’t know what has gone wrong. This should have been sorted out between us and not like this. She has been asking me to leave my mother but how can I do that? She is old. My wife is somewhat headstrong. She also wants me to leave politics as I don’t get time for the family. There is no substance in the allegations,” he said.Lipika, who works with an MNC, met police chief B S Bassi and special commissioner (law & order) Deepak Mishra, seeking protection. Bassi said an investigation was underway. “Proper legal action will be taken,” he said.Emerging from DCW, Lipika told reporters that she wanted separation. “I want to be out of this marriage. I want to live with dignity,” she said.“The complaint runs into 20 pages,” Barkha Singh told TOI. “The complainant repeatedly said she fears for her life. This is a complex matter in which there are allegations of dowry, sexual harassment, domestic violence and maintenance issues.”Lipika, who is severely diabetic, has alleged that she and her two children were facing severe “physical, mental and oral harassment” from BhartiAccording to her complaint, she had met Bharti through a matrimonial portal in March 2010 and he gave her the impression that he was financially well off. They married on December 10, 2010, and he allegedly misbehaved with her several times on their honeymoon. He also confessed to her, she claims, that his financial condition was not good and he would need her support to tide over the troubled phase. Once back from the honeymoon, she was asked by Bharti to give all her jewellery and wedding to her mother-in-law which she has not reclaimed till date.“Despite being pregnant, diabetic and suffering from hypertension, I was subjected to regular verbal, mental and physical abuse by my mother-in-law. I bore the entire household expenses. Somnath Bharti even asked me to buy a house and car on several times as he did not like to live in a rented accommodation,” Lipika has complained.She has alleged that on February 23, 2011, she was beaten up by Bharti, on the instigation of his mother. “I decided not to tolerate their abuse for the sake of our unborn child and left for my house in Dwarka. On February 24, Somnath Bharti started calling me at the workplace and abused me. On April 27, I delivered a premature baby girl,” she recalled. She said Bharti would visit her at Dwarka over the weekends but did not pay for even the upkeep of the child.She was also allegedly abused by Bharti’s mother and brother. On October 17, 2011, she filed a complaint with the Crime Against Women’s cell at Sector 9 in Dwarka.In September 2012, Lipika claims, she conceived their second child. On March 19, 2013, Bharti allegedly abused her verbally and physically and tried to strangulate her. She was seven-months pregnant then. She alleges that he unleashed his Labrador on her and did not even provide her any medical aid later. She moved in with her mother. Their son was born on May 27, 2013, but Bharti and his family did not visit her.In June 2013, when Bharti was standing for the assembly elections, he asked for support from his wife. In January 2014, she conceived again but Bharti allegedly adviced her to terminate her pregnancy. He was law minister then. Later, on August 10, 2014, she alleged that he yet again physically and verbally abused her in front of their children when she sought financial support. The last incident of abuse is cited to be May 27 this year.Bharti defended himself in a series of tweets. “Allegations of domestic violence if any are baseless n inconceivable. I love my wife n my little children. I urge media 2 respect my privacy,” he tweeted. “I love my wife but her demands that I should leave serving my mother and motherland are not acceptable. She reacted with a false complaint,” said another tweet.“I m in Kerala 4 party work n shocked 2 learn 4m TV abt wife's complaint. Deeply pained 2 know that my wife hs gone public w family matter,” he complained.