Bibhav Kumar, a close aide of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has been sent to three days of police custody by the Tis Hazari Court in Delhi. This decision comes in connection with the assault case filed by Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. Kumar had previously been in judicial custody until today.
On May 27, the court rejected Kumar’s bail application, prompting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to announce that they would pursue bail for him in the high court.
Kumar’s anticipatory bail plea, submitted on May 18, was rendered ineffective by his subsequent arrest.
#WATCH | AAP MP Swati Maliwal assault case | Delhi's Tis Hazari Court remands back Bibhav Kumar to Police custody for three days. He was produced before the court after the expiry of four-day judicial custody
Visuals from the court as Police personnel bring him out after… pic.twitter.com/bXr3xOso5c
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2024
The allegations against Bibhav Kumar stem from an incident on May 13, where Swati Maliwal claimed she was assaulted by him. Maliwal recounted being subjected to physical violence, including slapping and kicking, before she managed to call for help. She further alleged that Kumar then called security personnel and began recording a video, while she attempted to alert them to the assault.
Maliwal claimed, “First I was thrashed brutally by Bibhav. He slapped and kicked me. When I freed myself and called 112, he went outside, called security personnel and started making a video. I was shouting and telling the security that Bibhav has thrashed me brutally”.
Videos from the day of the incident, purportedly captured at the Chief Minister’s residence and circulated on social media, depict Maliwal engaging in heated exchanges with security personnel. Another video shows her leaving the residence premises in Civil Lines.
During court proceedings, Maliwal’s advocate expressed concerns over her safety, citing ongoing threats despite Kumar’s incarceration. The advocate also raised doubts about Kumar’s innocence, alleging that he had tampered with evidence by formatting his phone and erasing CCTV footage of the altercation.
ALSO READ: “Bibhav Kumar Denied Bail in Swati Maliwal Assault Case Linked to Arvind Kejriwal’s Aide”
The case has garnered significant attention, given Kumar’s proximity to Arvind Kejriwal and the sensitive nature of the allegations against him. As the legal proceedings unfold, both sides are expected to present their arguments rigorously in pursuit of justice.
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