Delhi Court denies bail to Bibhav Kumar in Swati Maliwal assault case

A magisterial court in Delhi rejected the bail plea of Bibhav Kumar, an aide to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in connection with the alleged assault of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal. Kumar, accused of attacking Maliwal at the Chief Minister's residence on May 13, has been in judicial custody since May 24.

Kumar plans to challenge the Tis Hazari Court's decision by appealing to the Delhi High Court. According to Maliwal, while she was waiting to meet Kejriwal at his official residence, Kumar verbally abused, threatened, and physically assaulted her, including dragging her and banging her head on a table.

During the bail hearing, Kumar's lawyer argued that the allegations were "premeditated" and false, aimed at tarnishing his reputation due to Maliwal's belief that he was responsible for her not meeting the Chief Minister. The lawyer also pointed out the absence of CCTV at the alleged assault location, suggesting it was chosen deliberately by Maliwal.

Maliwal, a Rajya Sabha MP, stated that the AAP party machinery was mobilized against her, holding continuous press conferences to malign her. "This man (Bibhav Kumar) is not normal," she asserted.

The Delhi Police emphasized the severity of the case in their remand report, describing the assault as "brutal" and potentially "fatal." They noted Kumar's lack of cooperation during the investigation, stating, "Despite specific questions, the accused has not cooperated in the investigation and has been evasive in his replies."

Further complicating the case, police revealed that Kumar was taken to Mumbai to retrieve data from his phone, which he had allegedly formatted before his arrest. The police suspect that Kumar transferred the data to another person or device in Mumbai. His phone, laptop, and CCTV recordings from Kejriwal's residence have been sent for forensic examination.

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