AAP MLA Somnath Bharti arrested for allegedly assaulting Aiims security guard

In fresh trouble for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), MLA Somnath Bharti was on Thursday arrested by Delhi Police for allegedly assaulting a security guard of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Aiims).Bharti was arrested by a police team from Malviya Nagar in the afternoon and taken to Hauz Khas police station.Earlier on 11 September, Bharti and his supporters had been booked for damaging Aiims property and misbehaving with the security guards. The Delhi Police had registered an FIR following the complaint of Aiims Chief Security Officer RS Rawat.[caption id="attachment_2457600" align="alignleft" width="380"]

Somnath Bharti. AFP[/caption]Rawat, in his written complaint at south Delhi's Hauz Khas police station, had said that Bharti, at around 9.45 am on 9 September, "provoked the mob to damage the fence of government property (Aiims)"."Bharti gave permission to unauthorised persons with JCB machines to get access inside Aiims from Gautam Nagar Nallah road side and misbehaved with security personnel," a police officer had said, citing Rawat's complaint.In the complaint, it was also alleged that six security personnel were injured while trying to intervene and stop Bharti and his supporters from damaging Aiims property.Bharti and his supporters had been booked under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapons), 186 (obstructing public servant), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.Bharti, however, had termed the allegations "wrong".

Bharti was previously arrested by Delhi Police in December 2015, in connection with the attempt to murder and domestic violence case filed by his wife.Fifteen AAP MLAs have been booked by the Delhi Police till now on various charges and 12 have been arrested.AAP sought to defend Bharti, saying the police action was a "diversionary tactics" in view of elections in Goa and Punjab."This is poll season and till the elections are not over in Goa and Punjab, arrests like these will keep happening," Delhi Health minister and senior AAP leader Satyendar Jain said.With inputs from agencies