Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti summoned by AAP leaders

New Delhi:  Law Minister Somnath Bharti, who has embarrassed the Delhi government on multiple fronts, was summoned today by the top decision-making body of the Aam Aadmi Party, headed by Arvind Kejriwal.

HERE ARE 10 BIG DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS STORY:

1. The Law Minister has been asked to apologise for abusive language he used recently against BJP leader Arun Jaitley and noted lawyer Harish Salve.
2. Mr Salve is representing Ugandan women who have filed a police case alleging that they were molested and beaten up by a mob earlier this month which hurled racist slurs at them, called them prostitutes and forced some of them to submit urine samples for drug tests. They tested negative for drugs in a Delhi hospital.
3. The mob was mobilised allegedly by the Law Minister. On camera, he is seen arguing with police officers who said they could not raid a house in his constituency or arrest the women because they did not have warrants.
4. Two separate police cases have been filed by Ugandan women against the controversial "midnight raid" by Mr Bharti, though he is not named in the First Information Report or FIR. Seven women have now deposed in court in connection with the case.
5. One of the women had yesterday said she identified Mr Bharti as the leader of the mob that entered her home and beat and molested her.
6. Mr Bharti says that residents in the area had repeatedly urged the police to take action against African nationals trafficking drugs and sex, but that their pleas had been ignored by apathetic officers.
7. Mr Bharti has so far been supported by Mr Kejriwal, who held a two-day demonstration in the heart of the city to protest against the cops who did not make the arrests ordered by the Law Minister.
8. One of those cops has been asked to proceed on leave as part of a compromise offered by the Centre to Mr Kejriwal to call off his protest. A judge is investigating the incident to determine the facts.
9. Accused of vigilantism, of gross racism and sexism, and of "stoking prejudices", Mr Bharati has denied all allegations.
10. A group of 40 academicians and rights activists have, in an open letter to the Chief Minister, sought the Law Minister's removal.