Ex-Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti declared 'absconder' by court in 2021 case

An MP-MLA Court in Rae Bareli has declared former Delhi Law and Justice Minister Somnath Bharti an absconder for failing to appear before it in connection with a 2021 case.

"Somnath Bharti failed to appear for hearing in a 2021 case on Tuesday, following which Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Dr Vivek Kumar on Thursday declared him an absconder. The court has issued a non-bailable warrant and a notice under Section 82 (proclamation for person absconding) of the Criminal Procedure Code," Special Public Prosecutor Sandeep Kumar Singh said on Friday.

He added that the court has fixed November 13 as the next date of hearing.


Singh said a case was filed against the former minister in 2021 for allegedly misbehaving with police at the Delhi Irrigation Department's guest house.

However, Bharti later secured a bail and the case has been pending ever since in the MP-MLA Court. Despite the court's repeated orders for his in-person appearance, Bharti has not been appearing in court, Singh said.