Swati Maliwal Assault Case: Bibhav Kumar Sent To 3-Day Police Custody

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.