File Photo: AAP Legislator Somnath Bharti
Delhi Police, on Tuesday evening, picked up Somnath Bharti's private secretary for questioning regarding the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator's
whereabouts.
The AAP MLA faces arrest following the rejection of his anticipatory bail plea by Delhi High Court in a case of attempt to murder and domestic violence lodged against him by his estranged wife, Lipika Mitra.
After the dismissal of Mr Bharti's plea, Delhi Police today raided his office and residence, but failed to find him.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Dependra Pathak said that Gurpreet, Mr Bharti's private secretary, was picked up from the MLA's Malviya Nagar office.
He was taken to Dwarka North police station and questioned about the former Delhi law minister's whereabouts.
Police are also trying to ascertain whether he had sheltered the MLA, who has been allegedly evading arrest, said Mr Pathak.
Meanwhile, police are also trying to identify others that might have sheltered the former Delhi Minister, who is not suspected to have left Delhi by now.
"Somanth Bharti is evading arrest and he is being tracked by police. Harbouring him is a criminal offence," said Mr Pathak.
Earlier, the policeman had said, "He is evading arrest. We sent two police teams to his office at Dwarka and residence at Malviya Nagar, but he was not present at either. When we tried to call him, his phone was switched off."
Soon after high court today declined to grant him anticipatory bail, advocate Vijay Aggarwal, who appeared for the MLA, told media that he can be arrested, "but there are other legal remedies and many doors are still open".