Somnath Bharti Sent To Judicial Custody For His Statements, Ink Thrown At Him

According to police, Bharti has been arrested for intimidation and promoting enmity between groups, by allegedly referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the state's hospitals. Bharti has been remanded to 14 days of Judicial custody.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti faced an ink attack in Rae Bareli where he had gone to inspect government schools. | (PTI Photo)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and MLA Somnath Bharti's face was smeared with ink and he was later arrested for statements he made last week. Minutes before his arrest, ink was hurled at the face of AAP MLA. He was on a visit to Uttar Pradesh where AAP has announced to contest Assembly Elections in 2022. The man involved in the ink attack incident is absconding, police informed news agency PTI. Bharti has been arrested for intimidation and promoting enmity between groups, by allegedly referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the state's hospitals. Bharti has been remanded to 14 days of Judicial custody. Meanwhile, Somnath Bharti retweeted a video, minutes after the ink was thrown at him, in which he was heard arguing with the policemen around him, telling them that he will strip them of their uniforms. "Yogi's death is imminent," he can be heard saying in the video. Bharti also retweeted a video clip in which he is heard using a derogatory term for Adityanath while talking about "atrocities on women" in the state. What Objectionable Comments Did AAP Leader Make? Earlier on Saturday, while inspecting the state’s medical health facilities, Bharti said, “Children are being born in hospitals, but they are of dogs." Following which, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Somnath Sahu from Amethi filed an FIR against him on Sunday. A case was registered against the AAP MLA under sections 507 (criminal intimidation) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), Additional Superintendent of Police Daya Ram said. Yogi Ji, We Will Fight: Somnath Bharti Meanwhile, the bail plea of Bharti will be heard on January 13. Following his arrest, Bharti took to Twitter and said that he was surprised to know that his bail application has been kept pending till January 13.

Shocked to learn that my bail application has been kept pending till 13th January n I am sent to judicial custody of 14 days.

— Adv. Somnath Bharti (@attorneybharti) January 11, 2021

On his arrest and the incident in which ink was thrown at him, he further targeted UP CM Yogi. “You throw ink, you get goons to attack, you charge with false cases, you pressure courts Yogi ji, we will fight,” his tweet read.

स्याही भी आप फिकवाए, गुंडों से हमला भी आप करवाए, झूठे मुकदमे भी आप करवाए, कोर्ट पर दबाव डलवा कर जेल आप भिजवाए। योगी जी, हम लडेगें।

— Adv. Somnath Bharti (@attorneybharti) January 11, 2021

Why Are You Afraid If One Of Our MLAs Visited Your School: Arvind Kejriwal Following Bharti’s arrest, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal issued a strong reaction, targeting the UP chief minister and asked him why are you scared.

योगीजी, हमारे MLA सोमनाथ भारती जी आपका सरकारी स्कूल देखने जा रहे थे।उन पर स्याही फिंकवा दी? और फिर उन्हें ही गिरफ़्तार कर लिया? आपके स्कूल इतने ज़्यादा ख़राब हैं क्या? कोई आपका स्कूल देखने जाए तो आप इतना डर क्यों जाते हो?स्कूल ठीक कीजिए।नहीं करना आता तो मनीष सिसोदिया से पूछ लीजिए https://t.co/ryz1xVbeFF

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 11, 2021

Yogi ji, you are ruining the future of crores of children of Uttar Pradesh," Kejriwal said in another tweet. Meanwhile, Shalabh Mani Tripathi, information advisor to the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, said everyone has the right to contest polls and level allegations against each other. But he slammed Bharti for allegedly using the indecent language for a chief minister and abusing policemen discharging their duties.