New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday (November 12) dismissed a plea filed by Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi MLA Somnath Bharti seeking transfer of a case registered against him in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly making derogatory remarks on the condition of hospitals and schools in the state.
The case against Bharti is pending before a Sultanpur court in Uttar Pradesh and the AAP MLA had moved the apex court seeking transfer of the case from the Sultanpur court to Rouse Avenue courts in the national capital.
Bharti allegedly made derogatory remarks against condition of schools, hospitals in Uttar Pradesh
Bharti allegedly made derogatory remarks against the condition of schools and hospitals in the state while speaking to media in Amethi district during a visit on January 10, 2021, leading to registration of two FIRs against him, including the one lodged by local resident Somnath Sahu at Amethi’s Jagdishpur police station. As per Bharti, the cases against him were registered out of political vengeance.
Apex Court allowed Bharti to request Sultanpur trial court to appear through video conferencing
A bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Aravind Kumar on Tuesday (November 12) refused to transfer the case from Sultanpur court to Rouse Avenue courts in Delhi, however, it allowed Bharti to request the Sultanpur trial court to appear before it through video conferencing, news agency PTI reported.
Apex Court last year stayed proceedings against Bharti
The apex court, while hearing Bharti’s plea on July 2023, had stayed proceeding against Bharti. Earlier last year in April, the apex court had issued notice to the state of Uttar Pradesh and had imposed an interim stay on the proceedings before the trial court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier, the counsel representing Bharti had expressed concerns over his safety before the apex court, submitting that there was a possibility of attack on him if he travelled to the state to attend proceedings before the Sultanpur trial court.
