AAP lawmaker Somnath Bharti shows a copy of the Constitution to reporters outside a police station in West Delhi's Dwarka (Press Trust of India photo)
Aam Aadmi Party lawmaker Somnath Bharti surrendered at a police station in West Delhi's Dwarka on Monday evening, hours after the Supreme Court ordered him to do so.
The 41-year-old former Delhi law minister, who is wanted in an attempt to murder case filed by his wife, made a dramatic entry at the police station, with a copy of the Indian Constitution in hand.
"The Constitution guarantees Indian citizens to avail all legal remedies. The Supreme Court had asked me to surrender, in compliance of the Supreme Court, I am here to surrender... I was not running away," Mr Bharti told reporters before walking into the police station.
The Supreme Court had in a stern message to Mr Bharti, who is also a lawyer, said, "If you are a responsible citizen, then don't run away."
"Surrender first and then come to court," the court added as it refused to protect Mr Bharti from arrest, rejecting his plea for anticipatory bail.
Mr Bharti has been accused of domestic violence and torture by his wife Lipika Mitra, who he married in 2010. Ms Mitra has also alleged that Mr Bharti tried to kill her and ordered his dog to attack her when she was pregnant.
The lawmaker dodged the police for a week after two courts rejected his plea for anticipatory bail.
He was urged by his party chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to turn himself in and stop embarrassing his family and the party. Mr Kejriwal's admonition in public tweets indicated that he had all but dumped his once powerful minister and close aide, a man whom he had strongly defended in the past despite a controversial midnight raid targeting African women.
The Delhi Police has alleged that while Mr Bharti dodged them, he changed locations and phones like a "common criminal" and got professional help from a group of people with a crime record.
Mr Bharti had also changed his appearance to escape detection, the police said.