Somnath Bharti moves Delhi HC against Satish Upadhyay’s electoral win in Malviya Nagar

New Delhi

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Somnath Bharti has moved the Delhi high court challenging the election of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) Satish Upadhyay from Malviya Nagar constituency, accusing him of corrupt practices and failure to disclose the pendency of criminal cases.

Upadhyay defeated Bharti by securing 39,564 votes, against the latter’s 37,433 votes.

Although the matter was listed before a bench of justice Jasmeet Singh on Thursday, the same was adjourned for April 8, after Upadhyay’s counsel, senior advocate Rajiv Nayyar, objected to the pendency of a criminal case. “It is very easy to say that there is an FIR but where is the FIR?” Nayyar remarked.

Accordingly, justice Singh asked Bharti to submit documents concerning his claim of the pending criminal case.

“You are saying that there is a complaint pending. If you say you are unsure, then please be sure. That is why I am giving you time. In case this is not pending, then you are making false statement on affidavit,” the court told Bharti.

The court said, “They’re (Upadhyay) are opposing it. Mr Bharti, it can’t be a fishing inquiry. Respondent is somebody who has been declared as an elected member.”

In his petition, Bharti also alleged that Upadhyay spent large sums on campaigning and had also funded the campaign of Congress candidate Jitender Kumar Kochar.