India's human rights watchdog asks police to take action against former minister

India's human rights watchdog has asked the Delhi Police to take action against the national capital's former Law Minister Somnath Bharti for his controversial midnight raid on the residences of some Ugandan nationals in January this year, sources said Monday.

"The National Human Rights Commission has directed the Delhi Police to take action against Bharti who was law minister in the then anti-graft Aam Aadmi Party's government in the Indian capital. He was earlier indicted by a judicial probe for the raid in the south of the national capital," the sources said.

Bharti in January led a mob on his midnight raid on the residences of the Uganadan nationals, claiming they were part of a prostitution ring, after the Delhi Police refused to enter their houses without a court order.

A judicial probe was ordered and an Ugandan woman filed a criminal complaint with the police against the former law minister subsequently.

Carrying out a police raid on houses resided by women after dark is not permitted without a warrant, as per the directives of the country's Supreme Court.