Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung has given the police, which reports to him, sanction to prosecute AAP MLA Somnath Bharti in connection with the Khirki Extension raid, in which the former Delhi minister targeted some African women in January 2014.


Bharti will be among several Aam Aadmi Party leaders who are facing prosecution in different cases and the LG's sanction is expected to open a fresh round of confrontation between the Raj Niwas and the Delhi government.


Media reports say Jung had been waiting for an opinion from the Delhi government's home and legal departments and went ahead despite home minister Satyendar Jain denying permission to prosecute Bharti.


The opposition had criticised the then-law minister Somnath Bharti for his vigilante action and alleged misbehaviour with women. A number of women's organisations and political rivals had accused Bharti of passing racist remarks while dealing with the African women.


The AAP MLA and a number of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members and volunteers had gone to Khirki Extension in New Delhi at around 3 am on the intervening night of 15-16 January 2014 to raid the houses of various people from African descent.


The mob, according to the Ugandan women, then proceeded to bang on the doors of various women past midnight, harassing them.


In its chargesheet filed on September 27 last year, the Delhi Police had said that "nine African women were victims of molestation and manhandling by a mob led by Bharti', who was the Delhi law minister at that time.


Bharti and 17 others have been booked under various sections of the IPC, including 354 (outraging women's modesty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 147 (rioting).