An aide of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has moved the Supreme Court for bail in a case of assault against AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal. Bibhav Kumar challenged the recent order of the Delhi High Court, which denied him bail.
While pronouncing the verdict on July 12, the bench of Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta at the Delhi High Court noted apprehensions of tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses since Kumar was the personal secretary of the CM.
A court had earlier rejected the bail plea of Kumar on May 27. His counsel had claimed that Maliwal's visit to the Chief Minister's house was an attempt to defame Kumar and that there was a delay of three days in registering the FIR. The defense had also claimed that Kumar was not present at the Chief Minister's residence when the alleged incident occurred and that Maliwal had no appointment with the CM.
The police had taken Kumar into custody on May 18 in connection with the alleged assault on Maliwal that reportedly took place on May 13. He was then presented before a local court and remanded to five days of police custody.
The Delhi Police charged Kumar with many offenses. The charges against him have been framed under Sections 308, 341, 354(B), 506, and 509 of the Indian Penal Code for attempt to commit culpable homicide, wrongful restraint, assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe, criminal intimidation, and acts intended to insult a woman's modesty.
Recently, a Delhi court extended Kumar's judicial custody till July 30 after the Delhi Police filed a charge sheet in which it named him as the main accused in the case.
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