New Delhi, Apr 30 (PTI) A Delhi court on Wednesday allowed former AAP MLA Somnath Bharti to lead further evidence in his defence in a 2014 sexual harassment case against him.
The evidence include seven video clips purportedly reflecting either the media reporting regarding the "prevalence of prostitution" in Delhi, especially the area of Khriki Extension (in Malviya Nagar) or the purported efforts of Bharti to curb such prevalence.
Special judge Vishal Gogne also allowed him to place on record the documents pertaining to a separate FIR lodged at Malviya Nagar.
"The revision petition is allowed with liberty to the revisionist to lead further evidence in defence in terms of his applications... which are deemed to be allowed," the court said.
The order came on Bharti's plea against a magisterial court order passed in November 2024 rejecting his application to place further evidence on record.
The 2014 case stemmed from the complaint of an African woman, who alleged on the intervening night of January 15-16, 2014, some unknown persons came to her rented accommodation in Khirki Extension Malviya Nagar, intimidated her, assaulted her, humiliating her by touching her body parts, threatened her to leave the country, and hurled racial slurs on her.
She along with her sister and others came to India on January 3, 2014 for her medical treatment and was staying at a rented accommodation in Khirki Extension Malviya Nagar in the capital as the treatment was taking a long time, it came on record.
An FIR was lodged on her complaint under Sections 354 (outraging modesty of woman) and 354A (sexual harassment) of IPC.