The court also turned down Somnath Bharti’s defence that Tresar has not categorically said he was leading the mob or was involved in beating the complainant. (Express Photo/Files) The court also turned down Somnath Bharti’s defence that Tresar has not categorically said he was leading the mob or was involved in beating the complainant. (Express Photo/Files)

A Delhi court Wednesday ordered framing of charges against former Delhi law minister and AAP MLA Somnath Bharti for allegedly leading a mob that assaulted an African national in 2014. Bharti is already facing trial in connection with the January 2014 midnight raid at Khirki Extension, in which the court had framed molestation charges against him for allegedly assaulting Ugandan women.

The court also found enough prima facie material against Bharti for allegedly assaulting Mukoko Misa Tresar, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who was then studying at Amity University, Noida.

According to police, on September 24, 2014, Tresar was assaulted by a mob led by the AAP MLA. An FIR was lodged on September 26, 2014.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal ordered framing of charges under various IPC sections, including punishment for voluntarily causing hurt and rioting: “Let a notice (charge)… be framed against Bharti for causing simple hurt to complainant… in prosecution of the common object of that assembly of which he was part of and leading, for rioting and for abetment by instigation.”

The court also turned down Bharti’s defence that Tresar has not categorically said he was leading the mob or was involved in beating the complainant. “Bharti is a member of the legislative assembly and seems to be well-known by the eyewitnesses. Therefore, his identity for the purpose of framing of notice (charges) at this stage is well established,” the court said.

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