New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to Delhi Police on a bail plea filed by Bibhav Kumar, an aide of Aam Aadmi Party boss and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Mr Kumar was arrested in May after allegations of assault, inside Mr Kejriwal’s home, by AAP MP Swati Maliwal.

The next hearing has been set for August 7.

Bibhav Kumar was earlier denied bail by the Delhi High Court and a trial court.

Mr Kumar, in judicial custody till July 16, faces charges of criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe, and attempt to commit culpable homicide.

He also faces charges of “disappearing evidence and giving false information”.

In the brief hearing this morning the court acknowledged “we normally grant bail… we grant bail to murderers and killers”. However, in what may be seen as a bad sign going forward, it also remarked “look at the FIR. She (Ms Maliwal) was crying (during the assault)” and seemed unconvinced by arguments that Bibhav Kumar, if given bail, would not influence witnesses.

“If this kind of person can’t influence who can? Was anyone in the drawing room (of the Chief Minister’s home, where the alleged assault began) to speak against him… he doesn’t seem ashamed, we think,” a bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan remarked.

The court, in a particularly strong observation, also called Mr Kumar a “goon”.

Earlier today senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Mr Kumar, began by questioning the delay by Ms Maliwal in filing her complaint. He referred to Ms Maliwal’s visit to Delhi’s Civil Lines Police Station on May 13 (the day of the alleged assault) and the “strange story” in her FIR.

READ | 500-Page Chargesheet Against Kejriwal’s Aide In Swati Maliwal Case

“Incident was on May 13. FIR was lodged May 16… the story in FIR is strange. She went on the first day to the police station but came back (Ms Maliwal did not file a police complaint or make a statement on that day). Did not lodge FIR. Three days later, FIR was lodged with injuries…”

Mr Singhvi also argued that there are contradictions in Ms Maliwal’s complaints. “Even trial court should have granted bail… there are contradictions about where she says she was hit.”

In her complaint Ms Maliwal said she was hit in the chest, stomach and pelvic areas, and that she felt “absolutely shocked and was screaming for help over and over again”.

“In order to protect myself, I pushed him away with my legs. At that time, he pounced on me, brutally dragged and deliberately pulled my shirt up,” she told the cops.

READ | AAP Says Kejriwal Home Video Exposes Swati Maliwal “Lie”, She Snaps

On the claimed delay, the court pointed out that Ms Maliwal, the former head of the Delhi Commission for Women, had called the police helpline (112) “immediately after the incident”.

Delhi Police later confirmed a call had been placed – from Ms Maliwal’s phone and from inside Mr Kejriwal’s residence. The caller did not, however, reveal their identity, the police said.

“If she is calling 112 immediately after incident, what does it show?” the court shot back.

The court also questioned claims Ms Maliwal should be prosecuted as she had “trespassed” on Mr Kejriwal’s home. “Is it a private residence or office of Chief Minister?” the court asked.

Ms Maliwal has maintained she had an appointment with the Chief Minister on that day.

Mr Singhvi then objected to the court “treating the FIR as gospel” but was told the court is only interested in due processes. “We are not bothered by your internal and other politics.”

READ | Delhi LG Backs Swati Maliwal, AAP Says It Proves Her BJP Link

Bibhav Kumar has denied all allegations by Swati Maliwal, and the AAP has claimed that their senior leader is part of a “conspiracy” orchestrated by its main rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party.

READ | Swati Maliwal Cries In Court, Claims Threat If Bibhav Kumar Gets Bail

Last month, ahead of the trial court’s verdict on his bail appeal, Ms Maliwal claimed there would be threats to her life, and her family, if Mr Kumar were to be released from jail.

The case has sparked a predictable political spat between the AAP and the BJP, which has accused Mr Kejriwal of shielding his aide. The BJP has launched multiple protests on this issue.

The BJP has also demanded that Mr Kejriwal – battling legal problems of his own following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in March – resign, a demand he has rebuffed.

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New Delhi:

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal hit out at the party on Friday alleging that an attempt was made to portray her as a “villain” and Delhi Chief Minister’s aide Bibhav Kumar as a “hero” after she made assault allegations against him.

“I am very hurt and saddened by the behaviour of Arvind Kejriwal. I and my entire family are in trauma because I have been working since 2006. I have been working since I had no position or prestige. There were no governments in the two states then. I have been working since then, with passion, selflessness, and honesty,” AAP leader Ms Maliwal told ANI.

Ms Maliwal alleged victim-shaming by the party adding that her character was “maligned” and she was left “alone in the entire battle.”

“But the truth is that when I was being beaten badly….in Arvind Kejriwal’s drawing room, he did not come. No one came to save me. And an out-of-court trial was conducted in which I was declared guilty. To date, he neither rang me nor came to meet me and he has not helped me anywhere. The entire party and he are standing with Bibhav Kumar at this time. So in such a situation, I am very sad because Arvind Kejriwal, who expresses his views on every issue, did not consider it necessary to support me on my issue, to take a stand for me, or to talk about my issue,” she said.

“Bibhav Kumar beat me up very badly in Arvind Kejriwal’s drawing room, and as soon as I filed a complaint in this matter, the entire party’s resources and leadership were used against me. Every day I was victim-shamed, my character was maligned,” she told ANI on Friday.

She further pointed out that Bibhav Kumar accompanied Kejriwal during his visit to Lucknow and Amritsar for campaigning in Lok Sabha polls.

“As soon as Delhi Police arrested Bibhav Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal himself and the entire party took to the streets to protest against his arrest. An attempt was made to portray that he is the hero and I am the villain,” the AAP MP said.

Ms Maliwal expressed confidence in the judiciary in the matter and said, “Today I have been left alone in this entire battle just because I have filed a complaint against Bibhav Kumar. I am fighting this battle alone and I will continue to fight till the end. Because I know that what I have said is the complete truth. In this entire battle, my only hope is from the court for justice.”

Earlier in the day, Delhi’s Tiz Hazari court remanded Bibhav Kumar in 14-day judicial custody in connection with the alleged assault on Ms Maliwal.

Mr Kumar was produced before the court after the three-day police custody granted on May 28 ended on Friday. He was arrested by the Delhi Police on May 18, in connection with the case.

Ms Maliwal lodged a complaint with the Delhi police against Bibhav Kumar on May 14, a day after the alleged assault took place. A day later, Bibhav Kumar lodged a counter-complaint with the police, accusing Ms Maliwal of gaining ‘unauthorised entry’ into the CM’s Civil Lines residence and ‘verbally abusing’ him.

A case was filed against Bibhav Kumar and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to investigate the case based on Ms Maliwal’s complaint. Bibhav was arrested by the Delhi Police on May 19.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

A court here on Tuesday granted three days to Delhi Police for custodial interrogation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar, who has been accused of assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal.

Maliwal was allegedly assaulted at the chief minister’s official residence on May 13.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal sent Kumar to police custody till May 31.

A detailed order from the court is awaited.

Delhi Police had sought five days’ custody of the accused.

Kumar’s counsel opposed the Delhi Police’s plea for his custodial interrogation, claiming it had no evidence.

On Monday, Kumar’s bail plea was dismissed by a sessions court, which said there appeared no “pre-meditation” by Maliwal in lodging the FIR and that her allegations could not be “swiped away”.

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

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

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

BJP president J P Nadda on Monday attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the alleged assault on Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal in the chief minister’s residence alleging that his silence for four days clearly shows his “double character and dual standards”.

JP Nadda held a road show in the New Delhi constituency in favour of BJP candidate Bansuri Swaraj.

During the rally, he said the atmosphere of the entire country and Delhi is in favour of blessing Modi.

“The BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get over 370 seats and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will secure more than 400 seats. There is one-sided atmosphere and the BJP is going to win all the seven seats in Delhi.

“You see the excitement. This New Delhi constituency was once a stronghold of the AAP and today see how everyone is eager to bless Modi and Bansuri Swaraj to win the election,” Nadda said.

He further claimed that the number of people voting for the BJP is more than 50 per cent.

“The foundation of this party (AAP) and the leader is rooted in lies since the beginning. They have lied on every occasion.

“This incident (Maliwal’s assault) somehow came to light that is why it has come to our attention. We don’t know how many such incidents have taken place with others,” he said.

Nadda recalled that the chief secretary of the Delhi government got assaulted in Kejriwal’s official residence.

“This is their style of work. Kejriwal’s silence for four days and shifting the microphone from one side to other clearly shows his dual character and double standards,” Nadda stated.

The BJP president alleged that Kejriwal has been exposed in front of the people of Delhi and the country, and no hope can be expected from him. It is necessary to make them sit at home, he added.

Kejriwal was addressing a press conference on May 16 at Lucknow with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav where the Delhi chief minister was asked about the incident. He avoided the question and it was fielded by Yadav and AAP MP Sanjay Singh.

In February 2018, the then Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash had alleged that he was assaulted by the AAP MLAs at Kejriwal’s residence in the presence of the chief minister and Manish Sisodia, who was then the deputy chief minister.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

AAP MP Swati Maliwal
| Photo Credit: ANI

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP and former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal alleged that the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence were being tampered with.

In a post on social media site X on May 17, Ms. Maliwal said, “I have received information that now these people are tampering with the CCTV of the house.”

Also Read | Arvind Kejriwal’s aide files police complaint against Swati Maliwal; says she “forcefully and illegally” trespassed into the CM House

Ms. Maliwal also tagged Delhi Police in her post.

Case against Bibhav Kumar

Ms. Maliwal has alleged that Mr. Kejriwal’s private secretary Bibhav Kumar slapped her, kicked her in the chest, dragged her and made threats, according to the FIR lodged by the Delhi Police on Thursday. Commenting on the matter, AAP Minister Atishi said in a press conference on Friday that Ms. Maliwal’s allegations were part of a political conspiracy hatched by the BJP.

The Delhi Police on Thursday visited Ms. Maliwal’s residence in central Delhi to record her statement. According to a senior official, the visit lasted for four hours where the former chief of the Delhi Commission for Women elaborated on the ordeal that she was subjected to on May 13 at the Chief Minister’s Civil Lines residence. The Delhi Police had received a call from a woman identifying herself as Ms. Maliwal, who informed them about the “assault” and later she visited the Civil Lines Police Station but had not filed a formal complaint. Three days later, the MP recorded her statement in the presence of two senior police officials. Subsequently, the police booked Mr. Kumar under IPC sections pertaining to assault, criminal intimidation, and outraging a woman’s modesty.

According to the FIR accessed by The Hindu, Ms. Maliwal had gone to the CM’s Civil Lines residence to meet him. She tried contacting Mr. Kumar but received no response. Subsequently, she informed the staff about her presence and sat in the drawing room.

The MP alleged that while she was waiting, Mr. Kumar burst into the drawing room and started verbally abusing her. She accused him of slapping her seven or eight times, hitting her on the chest, the stomach and the pelvic region,“unprovoked”.