Delhi High Court Denies Bail to Bibhav Kumar in Swati Maliwal Assault Case
New Delhi, July 12: The Delhi High Court has dismissed the bail plea of Bibhav Kumar, a close aide of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in the case involving the alleged assault of Swati Maliwal. Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta denied the bail, citing concerns that Kumar could influence witnesses.
During the hearing on July 10, Swati Maliwal was present in court and stated, “Not only was I brutally assaulted by the PA, later the Chief Minister himself came on the street to protect him. Many press conferences were done by the Delhi Ministers making malicious allegations against me. I was shamed…” She also expressed fears for her and her family’s safety.
Senior advocate Sanjay Jain, representing the Delhi Police, opposed the bail plea, arguing that Kumar is highly influential and could tamper with evidence. Jain mentioned that the chargesheet would be filed on July 16.
On the other hand, Senior Advocate N Hariharan, representing Bibhav Kumar, argued that Kumar has been in custody for 54 days and that the delay in filing the FIR raises questions about the case’s validity.
Bibhav Kumar’s advocate, Rishikesh Kumar, stated that all evidence has been collected and the investigation is nearly complete. However, the court reserved its judgment and later dismissed the bail application, citing the ongoing investigation and potential threats to the victim and witnesses.
Swati Maliwal has alleged continuous threats to her and her family, opposing the bail application strongly. Bibhav Kumar was arrested on May 18, a day after Maliwal recorded her statement in court.
