FIR against AAP MLA Somnath Bharti for ‘hurling abuses’ at woman journalist

A police case was filed against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Somnath Bharti on Wednesday for allegedly hurling abuses at a woman journalist, according to police. The FIR was lodged following a complaint by a private TV news channel journalist, who accused Bharti of calling her a BJP agent and asking to "become a prostitute" during an interview.

Bharti, however, has denied the allegations, adding that he will file a defamation case against both the news channel and its anchor. In his statement, the Delhi MLA said he had joined the TV show over the phone to discuss the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday, but the video was being presented with manipulation.

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The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at a Women Police Station in Noida under sections 504 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Bharti. While Section 504 of the IPC lists the offence of heaping "intentional insult with an intent to provoke breach of the peace", section 509 pertains to "insulting a woman's modesty through words, gestures or an act," a police official said.

(With inputs from PTI)