A Delhi court on Tuesday discharged former Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti of attempting to murder his wife and her unborn child in a domestic violence case.
The case filed by his wife Lipika Bharti in 2015 stated that Mr. Bharti made his dog attack her with the intent to kill her and her unborn child.
Discharging him of the two offences, Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj said: “Fortunately, nothing prevented the child from being born alive. Moreover, the court has disbelieved the allegations of the prosecution that Mr. Bharti had attempted to murder the complainant by dog bites. Therefore, Mr. Bharti cannot be charged for the offence punishable under Section 315 of Indian Penal Code [act done with intention to prevent child from being born alive or to cause it to die after birth] or even for attempt to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth. Therefore, he is discharged of the offence punishable.”
On the attempt to murder charge, the court said: “A perusal of the treatment record does not suggest that the complainant had suffered dog bites. She was not even given any treatment in the hospital for dog bite. The wounds were not even given any dressing. No tetanus injection was given. The prescription slip has only noted history of dog bite on abdomen and thighs. Since the complainant was in the seventh month of pregnancy, she was advised to attend emergency in SOS condition.”
Other charges
However, the court ordered framing of charges against Mr. Bharti under Sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt),417 (cheating), 420 (cheating and thereby dishonestly inducing delivery of property, 498A ( subjecting a married woman to cruelty) and 506 Para-I (criminal intimidation) of IPC.
“Let formal charge under Sections 324/417/420/498-A/506 Para-I of IPC be framed against Mr. Bharti,’’ the Judge said.