Saas-bahu saga at Somnath Bharti's wife's presser

Somnath Bharti's estranged wife Lipika on Monday said she was mulling approaching court against the Aam Aadmi Party lawmaker while addressing a press conference, which was interrupted by her mother-in-law who said she was ready to move to an old-age home to keep the couple together.

Earlier, Somnath had alleged that Lipika wanted him to leave her mother. Seventy-year-old Manorama Rani Bharti along with her counsel turned up at the venue and said, "I was pained to know that my daughter-in-law is not staying with my son because of me...I am ready to move to an old age home if my daughter-in-law can live happily with my son."

Lipika in her complaint to the Delhi Commission for Women on June 10 had alleged harassment by her mother-in-law too. She also refuted the allegations of mistreating Bharti's mother and said, "If his (Bharti's) mother denied my entry to her house, how can I be blamed for not wanting to live with his mother?"

Earlier, addressing the media, Lipika accused Bharti of manipulating the spouse details in his affidavit filed during the elections. "My husband has manipulated the spouse details in his affidavit to the Election Commission before the polls," she alleged. She also said that the former law minister has accused her of working for the Bharatiya Janata Party and being instigated by police.

"After my complaint to the Delhi Commission to Women came to light, he (Bharti) asked me if I was working for the BJP or was I being instigated by police," said Lipika at the press conference held at DCW Chairperson Barkha Shukla Singh's residence.

Reacting to Bharti's claim that they have been living separately since their marriage in 2010, Lipika said, “It is really painful that after a tumultuous marriage, with two kids and a termination, today it is me who has to prove my relationship with my husband," said the AAP leader's wife.

An emotional Lipika said that she had hoped of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's intervention in the issue as he had done in the case where a woman was attacked by a traffic policeman last month.

Bharti's mother was, however, denied entry to Singh's house amid police deployment. "If she has to say anything, she can come to the Commission and state her version," Singh said.

Giving a blow by blow account of Bharti's alleged "torture", Lipika said that she was contemplating of moving court against him.

Lipika claimed she has been receiving calls from unknown numbers and also strangers have been trying to enter the premises of her residence.

"I am very scared for my life. He (Somnath) can do anything. He has threatened me before and after this complaint, I have been receiving calls from unknown numbers and also strangers have been trying to enter the premises of my residence," she alleged.

Lipika said that she has "electronic evidence" of all the allegations made by her and alleged that Bharti had been approaching all common friends and relatives, including her landlord, to convince her in taking back the complaint.

Bharti, while targeting DCW chief Barkha Singh, tweeted on the issue questioning if the DCW was meant to "break the family or unite" it. He also questioned the need for a press conference before June 26, when he has been summoned to appear before the DCW over his wife's complaint. "When DCW has listed the matter for June 26, why press conferences b4 that?" he tweeted.