Bibhav Kumar denied bail, will approach High Court

Delhi CM's aide denied bail in assault case on AAP member; accused to approach High Court for bail.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s personal assistant Bibhav Kumar was denied bail by a court here on Monday in connection with the alleged assault on Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal. Mr. Kumar will now approach the High Court for bail, AAP said in a statement.

Mr. Kumar was arrested by the Delhi police on May 18 after the Rajya Sabha member alleged that she had been assaulted at the CM House on May 13. According to the FIR lodged by Ms. Maliwal on May 17, the CM’s aide hit her on the chest, stomach, and pelvic area.

Ms. Maliwal, who appeared in person before the judge, broke down while opposing Mr. Kumar’s bail application and said her safety would be at risk if the accused was let out of jail. She also spoke at length about the threats being issued to her on social media and claimed that she was being targeted by AAP leaders and the party’s social media team.

“If he is allowed to come out, my life and my family’s life would be in grave danger,” Ms. Maliwal told the court.

The counsel representing Mr. Kumar countered that the Rajya Sabha member’s allegation and the FIR against his client were “concocted”.

He said the complainant was trying to barge into Mr. Kejriwal’s residence without an invitation or appointment. He pointed out that Ms. Maliwal had registered the police complaint after a delay of four days and asked why she was not examined at a Delhi government hospital instead of Centre-run AIIMS.

He also claimed that the police had booked Mr. Kumar under stringent provisions, such as Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of IPC, only to make it difficult for the accused to get bail.