Delhi court acquits Somnath Bharti, 17 others in Khirki Extension midnight raid case

A Delhi court acquitted former AAP MLA Somnath Bharti and 17 others in connection with the Khirki Extension midnight raid case. The court orally stated that victim statements were inadmissible as they did not come to court, that unlawful assembly could not be proved, and that the prosecution failed to prove its case. The court also said the delay in registration of the case could not be established; a detailed order is awaited.

In 2018, the court framed molestation charges against Bharti and others, noting a prima facie case to proceed to trial. The charges included sections 147/149 (rioting), 354 (molestation), 354C (voyeurism), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation), 143 (unlawful assembly), 509 (outraging a woman's modesty), 153A (promoting enmity between groups), 323 (assault), 452 (house trespass), 427 (criminal trespass), and 186 (obstructing a public servant) of the IPC. The police cited 41 prosecution witnesses, including nine African women.

An FIR was lodged by police on the court's direction after a Ugandan woman, one of the victims, filed a plea on January 18, 2014 seeking the filing of a criminal case against unknown persons in the incident.

The raid continued into the night of January 16. Bharti claimed he acted on complaints of a drugs and prostitution ring operating from the place. He reportedly got involved in a scuffle with police during the raid; the women were described as targets by the accused.

On the intervening night of January 15 and 16, 2014, then Delhi law minister and AAP MLA Somnath Bharti led a group that allegedly harassed and assaulted women from African countries living in Khirki Extension on rent. The accused claimed the women were involved in illegal activities. Prosecution stated that multiple women sustained injuries; Bharti is said to have scuffled with police.