Somnath Bharti's lawyer says reconciliation with Lipika Mitra still possible

Following the Delhi High Court's order on Tuesday to give interim relief to former law minister Somnath Bharti in a domestic violence case, the latter's lawyer said that reconciliation between Bharti and his wife Lipika is still possible. "After hearing everything, court was of the opinion that there is still a chance of reconciliation. So, the court has given us a date of Thursday and interim protection. Meantime, no coercive process can be taken against us," said Vijay Aggarwal, Bharti's lawyer.

"The state couldn't answer properly to the court's query as to how a pet can attack a lady in a house. So, they have asked for time to file a status report," he added.

The court had earlier issued a non-bailable warrant Bharti, who has been booked for domestic violence filed by his wife Lipika Mitra, and was allegedly on the run from the law, and had also dismissed his anticipatory bail plea. Lipika had filed a complaint with the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) in June, accusing Somnath Bharti of committing acts of domestic violence and mental torture since 2010.

Bharti was earlier named in an FIR filed under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including domestic violence and attempt to murder. Lipika has been married to Bharti since 2010, but has been living separately from him since 2012 along with the couple's two children in a rented accommodation in Dwarka.