SC dismisses Somnath Bharti's plea to transfer case to Delhi

New Delhi [India], November 12 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined a plea of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Somnath Bharti seeking transfer of a case filed against him in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur for allegedly making derogatory remarks on the condition of hospitals and schools in the state.
A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Aravind Kumar dismissed the transfer petition of Bharti saying that his request for video conference may be considered by the trial court.
The case against Bharti is pending before the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate of Sultanpur. He approached the apex court seeking the transfer of the case to the Rouse Avenue Courts here in national capital.
Two cases were registered against him in Rae Bareli and Amethi over his remarks.
The AAP leader has alleged that both cases were filed out of political vengeance.
On January 10, 2021, Bharti has made the alleged derogatory remarks while speaking to the press in Amethi district during a visit there. Thereafter, an FIR against him was registered at the Jagdishpur police station of Amethi by local resident Somnath Sahu.