On Tuesday, the Tis Hazari Court in Delhi remanded Bibhav Kumar, an aide to Arvind Kejriwal, to three days of police custody in connection with the alleged assault case involving AAP MP Swati Maliwal.
The Delhi Police had requested five days’ custody for Kumar, but this was opposed by Kumar’s counsel, who argued that the police had no substantial evidence.
This court order follows a prior decision by a Delhi court to deny Kumar’s bail plea. The court stated that there appeared to be no “pre-meditation” by Swati Maliwal in filing the FIR and that her allegations could not be dismissed outright. “The allegations raised by the victim have to be taken at face value and cannot be dismissed. The delay in filing the FIR does not significantly affect the case, as the injuries were evident in the MLC four days later,” noted additional sessions judge Sushil Anuj Tyagi.
During the hearing, Kumar’s counsel, N Hariharan, argued that the charges against his client were fabricated and that the case was registered on May 16, days after the alleged incident on May 13 at Kejriwal’s residence.
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According to the FIR, Maliwal alleged that Kumar slapped her seven to eight times without provocation at the Chief Minister’s residence on May 13. She further claimed that Kumar “slapped her, kicked her in the chest and pelvis, and deliberately pulled up her shirt.”
Bibhav Kumar was arrested on May 18 and initially placed in police custody for five days. His anticipatory bail plea had been rendered moot by his arrest. Last Friday, he was placed in judicial custody for four days.
The FIR against Kumar, registered on May 16, includes charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe, and attempt to commit culpable homicide.
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