The Delhi High Court on Friday denied bail to Bibhav Kumar, an aide to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in the case involving the alleged assault on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal. Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta dismissed Kumar’s bail plea, concluding that no grounds for granting the relief were established, according to a report by PTI.
Earlier this week, the court had reserved its order and scheduled the pronouncement for July 12. Kumar, currently in judicial custody, allegedly assaulted Maliwal on May 13 at Kejriwal’s official residence and was subsequently arrested on May 18.
An FIR was filed against Kumar on May 16 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including charges related to criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to disrobe, and attempt to commit culpable homicide.
On June 7, the Tis Hazari court also refused to grant bail to Kumar, citing the “grave and serious” nature of the charges and the possibility that he could influence witnesses. Kumar’s initial bail plea was dismissed on May 27 by another sessions court, which found no evidence of pre-meditation by Maliwal in lodging the FIR and asserted that her allegations could not be disregarded.
Kumar’s petition contended that the case represented a “classic case” of misuse of the criminal justice system, arguing that while both he and Maliwal had lodged complaints against each other, only her complaint was being investigated.
“The complainant is an influential person being the Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and no investigation is being done regarding the complaint given by the petitioner. The Breach Report prepared on the date of the incident by the officials deputed at the CM Camp Office demonstrates this,” the plea stated.
Kumar’s plea further alleged that the allegations made by Maliwal were “unbelievable/unnatural” and suggested they were false. It claimed that Maliwal, upon realizing her behavior had been recorded on CCTV and that threats would not enable a meeting with the Chief Minister, left the premises after threatening Kumar and staff members with dire consequences.
