Somnath Bharti 'suppressed' information in affidavits, claims wife

New Delhi: Lipika Mitra, the estranged wife of former Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti, on Tuesday wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner seeking action against the AAP leader for "suppressing" information in the affidavit he filed for Delhi Assembly elections early this year.

Lipika in her complaint stated that Bharti had bought the property in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar out of his own income but is in the name of his mother Manorama Rani Bharti, details of which were completely suppressed by him in his affidavit.

Bharti, she claimed, has suppressed material facts from the Commission regarding his financial status as well as her's in his nomination form 26 on affidavit which is illegal. She further alleged that her bank balance and insurance details cited by Bharti in the affidavit were manipulated by him without her concurrence.

"It is a settled law that it is the solemn obligation of the candidates who are contesting election to furnish information regarding him or her and the spouse information and if the same are not given correct, the same would amount to suppression/non disclosure which will be treated as a substantial lapse on the part of the candidate.

"I would request your office to take immediate action against Bharti as he has made false representations in his election nomination form under oath," she said in her complaint to CEC Nasim Zaidi.

Lipika had filed a complaint of domestic violence with Delhi Commission for Women on June 10 alleging that her husband had been abusing her since their marriage in 2010.

She had also given a complaint to the police in this regard, leading to the former minister's dramatic arrest on September 28. Bharti was later released.