Maliwal assault case: Kejriwal's aide sent to 5-day police custody
Bibhav Kumar, a close aide to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, was sentenced to five days in police custody by Tis Hazari Court following his arrest on Saturday. The court's decision is linked to the alleged assault on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Swati Maliwal that occurred at the CM's residence on May 13. The Delhi Police presented Kumar before Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal, requesting seven-day custody to interrogate him about the alleged assault. However, the court granted five days.
Court hearing and police allegations against Kumar
During the hearing, the police argued before the court that it was a "serious case" where the "brutal assault" could have turned "fatal." "Despite specific questions, the accused has not cooperated in the investigation and has been evasive in his replies," they said. The police also alleged that Kumar refused to provide his mobile phone password to investigators, claiming it had been formatted in Mumbai due to malfunctioning.
Defense counsel questions timing of FIR and visit
Arguing for Kumar, lawyer Rajiv Mohan questioned the timing of the FIR, which was registered on May 16, three days after the alleged assault. He also raised doubts about Maliwal's visit to Kejriwal's residence before May 13, stating there was no record of it. Mohan also accused the Delhi Police of distorting facts and argued that Kumar's mobile phone was not necessary for the investigation as Maliwal had not alleged any threats over phone or WhatsApp calls.
Maliwal's allegations and Kumar's counter complaint
In her complaint, Maliwal alleged that Kumar "slapped" her "seven to eight times" without any provocation and "brutally dragged" her while "kicking" her, causing her to fall and hit her head on a table at the CM's residence on May 13. In response, Kumar filed a counter complaint accusing Maliwal of forcefully entering the CM's premises and using abusive language. The Delhi Police registered an FIR against Kumar on May 16 under several sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Political repercussions following the assault case
The incident has ignited a political firestorm, with AAP leader Atishi alleging that Maliwal was sent to Kejriwal's residence by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as part of a conspiracy to level "false accusations" against the Delhi CM. However, Maliwal refuted these claims, criticizing her own party for labeling her a BJP agent. The BJP, meanwhile, accused Kejriwal of avoiding questions about the incident. Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla stated that corruption, misconduct, and disinformation have become AAP's standard operating procedure.
