Somnath Bharti, an AAP MLA, and former Delhi minister were sentenced to two years in prison by a court here on Saturday in a 2016 case of assaulting security personnel at AIIMS and causing property harm to the hospital.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi has backed its Malviya Nagar MLA, arguing that he has been treated unfairly and expressing hope that he will be vindicated at the appellate level.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) official was also fined Rs one lakh by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey.
The magistrate said, “The court is of the informed opinion that the prosecution has duly proven its case beyond any reasonable doubt against accused Somnath Bharti.”
Bharti, on the other hand, was given bail by the judge, allowing him to appeal his conviction and sentence to the high court.
According to the indictment, on September 9, 2016, Bharti and approximately 300 others used a JCB operator to break down the fencing of a boundary wall at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.
The lawsuit was filed after R S Rawat, AIIMS’s Chief Security Officer, filed a report.
Bharti was found guilty of several charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sections 323 (intentionally causing harm), 353 (assault or use of criminal force to prevent a public servant from performing his duties), and 147 (assault or use of criminal force to prevent a public servant from performing his duties) (rioting).
The AAP MLA was also found guilty under section 3 of the Prevention of Harm to Public Property Act (mischief causing damage to public property).
The mandatory penalty for both offences is five years in prison.
The court, on the other hand, found no evidence against Bharti’s friends and co-accused — Jagat Saini, Dileep Jha, Sandeep Sonu, and Rakesh Pandey.
Bharti had testified in court that police officers and other witnesses had wrongly implicated him in the case.
“We support the judiciary and have absolute confidence in the judiciary,” the AAP said in a statement. However, we think Mr. Somnath Bharti has been handled unfairly in this case.”
It said, “We are sure that justice will be served to him at the appellate level.”
“Somnath is a well-liked politician who is adored by his constituents. He works with his people 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People in his district are saddened by the news of his arrest, according to the AAP.
Bharti declined to comment when approached following his party’s announcement.
