No separate FIR over Bharti's midnight campaign: Delhi court

5 Dariya News

New Delhi (IANS) 29-Jan-2014

A court here Wednesday rejected a plea by a Ugandan woman seeking a separate FIR against "unknown accused" for creating ruckus during a controversial campaign by Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti against an alleged prostitution racket.The court was hearing a plea by the woman seeking direction for a separate first information report (FIR) on her complaint.The first FIR was lodged Jan 19 by Delhi Police on the court's direction after it heard an African woman's plea.Metropolitan Magistrate Chetna Singh Wednesday disallowed the plea and directed that the second complaint be merged with the first FIR.The first FIR was registered against unknown accused under various charges dealing with wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation and act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.

Delhi Police last week told the court there was no need for a separate FIR on the woman's complaint as it pertains to the same incident in which a case has already been registered.The second complaint was filed Jan 23 by the Ugandan woman who came to India for medical treatment.The woman Tuesday pleaded before the court to reject the police submission that there was no need for a separate FIR."The incident is common but the complainant is also a victim in the incident and she was also molested by a few people," said advocate Rakesh Sherawat, appearing for the Ugandan woman.

Police told the court that the present petitioner (the second Ugandan woman) has already been examined in the first case by the investigating officer and her statement has been recorded.The complainant's counsel opposed the police plea, saying she will be treated as a witness, not as victim, in the first case.Law Minister Bharti was not named in both complaints.The advocate appearing for the woman also told the court that his client came to know through the media that the people who took part in the raid were from the Aam Aadmi Party, led by local legislator Bharti.The minister had gone to a house in Khirki Extension, which falls within the jurisdiction of the Malviya Nagar police station, after receiving complaints about an alleged prostitution and drug racket in the area.