Bibhav Kumar sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with Swati Maliwal assault case

Swati Maliwal was allegedly assaulted by Bibhav Kumar at the CM's residence

Delhi’s Tis Hazari court on May 31 sent Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s personal assistant Bibhav Kumar to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the alleged assault of Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal at the chief minister's official residence on May 13.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal allowed the Delhi Police plea seeking judicial custody for Kumar, who was produced before him on expiry of his three- day police custody.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has reserved its order on maintainability of Bibhav Kumar's plea challenging his arrest.

Earlier on May 27, Kumar's bail plea was dismissed by a sessions court which said there appeared to be no “pre-meditation” by Swati Maliwal in lodging the FIR and that her allegations could not be “swiped away”.

Bibhav Kumar was arrested by Delhi Police on May 18. He was sent to police custody for five days the same day by a magisterial court, which observed that his anticipatory bail plea had become infructuous because of his arrest. Following that, he was sent to a four-day judicial custody last Friday.

The FIR against him was registered on May 16 under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force on a woman with the intent to disrobe her and attempt to commit culpable homicide.