AAP govt slams LG for giving nod to prosecute Bharti

New Delhi, Aug 4: In what suggests a fresh round of jousting between the ruling AAP and Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, Delhi government today slammed the latter for "not consulting" it before giving his nod to prosecute party MLA Somnath Bharti in connection with the Khirki Extension midnight raid case.

Delhi Home Minister minister Satyendra Jain told PTI that he had sent a file "to the LG's office 10-15 days back suggesting that he should not give his approval for prosecuting Bharti".

However, the LG "did not consult the minister-in-charge (Home Minister) before giving his nod for prosecuting Bharti", Jain claimed, adding that the "LG thinks he is the government. He is doing what he wants without consulting an elected government".

Sources have said that Jung gave his approval for prosecuting Bharti after taking cognisance of the "seriousness" of the case. Earlier this year, a court had asked police to get prosecution sanction against Bharti from the competent authority.

In its charge sheet filed in September last year, police had said that "nine African women were victims of molestation and manhandling by a mob led by Bharti" in the Khirki Extension area.

On the intervening night of January 15-16, 2014, Bharti and his supporters had allegedly forcibly detained and threatened some African women during a confrontation with police in his Malviya Nagar constituency over inaction against a suspected drug and prostitution racket. Bharti, who was then a minister in the AAP government, has denied the charges.

The LG and Arvind Kejriwal government were locked in a tussle in May over the appointment of Shakuntala Gamlin as acting chief secretary. A full-blown war between the ruling AAP and Jung had ensued with Chief Minister Kejriwal alleging that the LG was trying to take over the administration.

PTI