Kejriwal Aide Granted Bail In Alleged Maliwal Assault Case
Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar, who was arrested in May on the allegation of assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.
Supreme Court, while granting him bail said that Kumar is in custody for 100 days and chargesheet has already been filed in the case. News agency ANI quoted the Supreme Court as saying that the trial court shall endeavour to finish the examination of important and vulnerable witnesses first within three months.
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Supreme Court, while bestowing Me Kumar with the bail, imposed certain conditions and stipulated that he shall not be restored as personal secretary of Delhi Chief Minister or political office associated with the CM office.
The court has also maintained that Kumar shall not enter the Chief Minister’s residence till all witnesses are examined. The bail was granted after Kumar spent 100 days in Jail.
Notably, when the top court granted bail to the AAP leader Manish Sisodia last month in the alleged liquor policy scam, it emphasised that bail is the ruling principle. The court also stressed that the lower courts should refrain from maintaining bail orders in a mechanical manner and without giving any reason.
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Maliwal had alleged that the party made an attempt to portray her as a “villain” and the Chief Minister’s close aide as a “hero” after she made assault allegations against him. She also alleged victim-shaming by the party, expressing her disappointment over being left alone in the entire battle.
Maliwal had filed the complaint with police against Bibhav Kumar on May 14, stating she was assaulted at the chief minister’s residence the day before. Notably, Kumar also filed a counter-complaint, accusing the AAP MP of unauthorised entry into the AAP supremo’s Civil Lines residence and that she verbally abused him. He also denied Maliwal’s allegations against him.
