Kejriwal stands by Somnath Bharti, rejects quit demand
16 Jan 2014 5:17 AM IST
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has rejected the demand for resignation of his cabinet colleague and law minister Somnath Bharti on a controversy arising out of a Delhi court allegedly indicting him for influencing a prosecution witness.
‘It was a sting operation to nail the main accused. The decision of the court is wrong. He (Bharti) was trying to help out a person who was wrongly framed in a corruption case. Do you want to say the people who are submitting audio tapes to anti-corruption cell are wrong,’ said Kejriwal defending the minister. ‘I respect the court but in this case the court is wrong,’ he added rejecting the demand of principal opposition BJP and Congress party.
This is the second time Bharti has invited controversy for the new government. Earlier, he drew flak for directing law department secretary, who is also a judge, to summon meetings of all the judges of lower courts in the national capital in the minister’s office.
‘It’s a clear case of contempt of court and hence a case of contempt of court must be registered against Kejriwal,’ said leader of Opposition Harsh Vardhan. ‘How can a chief minister say that an order of the court against his minister was wrong? Bharti’s effort to get relief for his client Pawan Kumar was turned down by Delhi High Court and Supreme Court. He along with his party colleague and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan were reprimanded in the apex court. The decision on the case is still pending,’ he added.
‘It was a sting operation to nail the main accused. The decision of the court is wrong. He (Bharti) was trying to help out a person who was wrongly framed in a corruption case. Do you want to say the people who are submitting audio tapes to anti-corruption cell are wrong,’ said Kejriwal defending the minister. ‘I respect the court but in this case the court is wrong,’ he added rejecting the demand of principal opposition BJP and Congress party.
This is the second time Bharti has invited controversy for the new government. Earlier, he drew flak for directing law department secretary, who is also a judge, to summon meetings of all the judges of lower courts in the national capital in the minister’s office.
‘It’s a clear case of contempt of court and hence a case of contempt of court must be registered against Kejriwal,’ said leader of Opposition Harsh Vardhan. ‘How can a chief minister say that an order of the court against his minister was wrong? Bharti’s effort to get relief for his client Pawan Kumar was turned down by Delhi High Court and Supreme Court. He along with his party colleague and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan were reprimanded in the apex court. The decision on the case is still pending,’ he added.
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