Court to consider charge sheet against Somnath Bharti on October 27

NEW DELHI: A court here today fixed October 27 for considering the charge sheet filed against former Delhi Law Minister and AAP leader Somnath Bharti and 17 others for allegedly molesting some African women during a purported midnight raid this year.

"File received by way of transfer. It is checked and registered. Charge sheet has been filed in the case. Put up for consideration on October 27," Metropolitan Magistrate Niti Phutela said.

Delhi Police have filed a final report against Bharti and 18 other accused and they have been chargesheeted for various offences under the IPC, including sections 354 (outraging women's modesty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 147 (rioting).

In its charge sheet, the police said "nine African women were victims of molestation and manhandling by a mob led by the then Law Minister Somnath Bharti."

"As per the investigation conducted so far, statement of witnesses, documents on record, there are sufficient evidence under sections 354, 147/149, 341(wrongful restraint), 506, 509 (uttering or making gesture to insult modesty of women), 153 A (promoting enmity between classes), 323, 427 (mischief and thereby causing damages to the amount of Rs 50 or above) and other sections of IPC against Bharti and 17 others," it said.

The police named 41 as prosecution witnesses in the case who include nine Ugandan women who were allegedly beaten up and molested by the mob led by Bharti on the intervening night of January 15-16.

In its charge sheet, the police said that forensic reports of the urine sample of victim was awaited but reports of video footage collected from CCTV cameras installed at AIIMS, where the victims were taken for medical check-up, and news channels have been received.

It claimed that reports said there was no tampering with the CCTV or video footages.