AAP's Somnath Bharti is wanted in attempt to murder case
Aam Aadmi Party lawmaker Somnath Bharti, wanted in a case of attempt to murder, is changing phones and locations like a "hardened criminal", the police said today.
"We have an idea where he is hiding. We will reach him very soon and make him join investigations," senior Delhi Police officer Deepender Pathak told reporters.
Mr Bharti is believed to be hiding near Agra, say police sources.
The lawmaker failed to get protection from arrest from two courts and has now moved the Supreme Court, which will take up his case on Monday.
For now, the police are free to arrest him, but sources say the lawmaker is "behaving like a professional criminal," constantly changing his location.
Mr Bharti has been accused by his wife Lipika Mitra of domestic violence and torture; she has also alleged that he once tried to strangle her and ordered his dog, Don, to attack her when she was pregnant.
On Wednesday, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal all but dumped Mr Bharti, his once powerful law minister and close aide, in strong tweets.
"Somnath shud surrender.Why is he running away?Why is he so scared of gng to jail? Now he is becoming embarasment for party n his family (sic)," he tweeted.
The police have been camping outside Mr Bharti's home. His brother, sister and private secretary were questioned.
Last week, the AAP leader surfaced briefly only when the Delhi High Court told the police not to arrest him until its order. During a string of interviews, Mr Bharti denied the allegations against him and said: "I love my wife."
Mr Bharti kept his job as law minister during the previous 49-day AAP government despite a series of controversies that included a midnight raid targeting African women whom he accused of running a drugs racket.
Despite widespread condemnation of his conduct, Mr Kejriwal and AAP defended him, but when the party took power again in February, Mr Bharti was not included in the cabinet.