Jul 16, 2024 05:05 PM IST
Swati Maliwal case: The chargesheet against Bibhav Kumar was filed on the day the Tis Hazari Court extended his judicial custody till July 30
The Delhi Police on Tuesday filed a chargesheet against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar in connection with the case of alleged assault on Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.
The chargesheet was filed on the day the Tis Hazari Court extended his judicial custody till July 30 and directed the Jail Superintendent to produce him physically on the next date of hearing.
Sources in the Delhi Police had told PTI that a 1,000-page chargesheet with security staff at Kejriwal’s residence as witnesses has been prepared. The police have also collected the DVR from the chief minister’s residence and seized several gadgets, including Kumar’s two mobile phones.
Kumar was taken to Mumbai twice during his police custody to recover the allegedly deleted data from his mobile phones.
Maliwal in an FIR had accused Bibhav Kumar of slapping her 7-8 times and kicking her in her chest, stomach and pelvis when she went to Kejriwal’s residence on May 13.
“Suddenly… Kumar barged into the room. He started screaming at me without any provocation. He even started abusing me. I was stunned by his reaction… I reacted by telling him to stop talking to me like this and call the CM,” the former Delhi Commission for Women chief had alleged in the FIR.
On July 12, the Delhi high court denied bail to Bibhav Kumar, saying he enjoys “considerable influence” and no ground was made out to grant him the relief.
“It cannot be ruled out that witnesses may be influenced or evidence tampered with in case the petitioner is released on bail,” the judge had said.
“Keeping in view the nature of accusations and apprehension of the witnesses being influenced, no grounds are made out for releasing the petitioner on bail at this stage. Application is accordingly dismissed,” the judge added.
(With bureau inputs)
