Swati Maliwal Assault Case: CM Kejriwal's PA Bibhav Kumar's Bail Plea Rejected

A Delhi court on Monday denied bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's close aide Bibhav Kumar, who is accused of assaulting AAP MP Swati Maliwal at the CM's residence. After hearing arguments from both sides, Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal denied Kumar, the CM's personal assistant, bail. A detailed order on the subject is pending. During the proceedings, Rajya Sabha MP Maliwal informed the court that Kumar's release would endanger her life and her family. She said that a "one-sided video" about the incident "was made by a YouTuber" after which she began receiving threats.

A couple of videos from the chief minister's residence from the day of the incident on May 13 have surfaced on social media. One shows Maliwal arguing with security officers, while the other shows her going out of the CM's mansion in the Civil Lines. Maliwal's lawyer said that despite Kumar's imprisonment, Maliwal was receiving threats. He questioned Kumar's innocence, claiming that he formatted his phone and destroyed the CCTV footage from the incident.

Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava stated that Maliwal did not enter the CM's home. He further stated that Kumar was a "influential" individual notwithstanding the termination of his employment. Kumar's attorney sought bail, claiming that his client met the "triple test" for bail: he was not a flight risk, was unlikely to tamper with evidence, or influence witnesses.

Kumar's counsel said that despite collaborating with the police, Kumar was arrested, and that the FIR in the matter was registered three days later as a "afterthought." Kumar was ordered to four days in judicial jail on Saturday and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. The court observed that his anticipatory bail plea filed on May 18 had become "infructuous" following his arrest.