The Tis Hazari Court in Delhi remanded Bibhav Kumar, a close aide to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, to five-day police custody on Saturday following his arrest in connection with the assault case involving AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.
Earlier that day, Kumar was produced before the court after being arrested by Delhi police. Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal presided over the hearing and granted a five-day police custody for further questioning. The accused is once again scheduled to appear before the court on May 23, after the completion of his remand.
The case had been registered under sections 308, 354B, 341, 506, and 509 of the Indian Penal Code. It pertained to an alleged assault on Swati Maliwal. Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava argued for the custody, bringing to light the gravity of the charges and the urgent need for a thorough investigation.
“We asked for the DVR, which was provided on a pen drive. The footage was found to be blank,” Srivastava stated, pressing on the challenges that were faced during the investigation.
This statement was met by a counter from the Defense counsel Rajiv Mohan. He questioned the timing of the complaint and highlighted discrepancies in the police’s handling of the case. “There is no need for seven-day custody as this case is not the use of a weapon,” Mohan argued, seeking leniency for the accused.
Following extensive arguments from both sides, the court decided in favor of a five-day custody remand for the arrested. While speaking to the media after the hearing of the case, Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava explained the court’s decision and revealed the next steps in the legal process.
“After considering the entire aspect, the Metropolitan Magistrate was pleased to grant five days of police custody remand. One of the grounds for seeking custody was that he was to be taken to Mumbai for a proper investigation, and that has been considered,” Srivastava stated.
Rishikesh Kumar, the advocate representing Bibhav Kumar, while talking about the relief granted to the accused, asserted that the legal rights of the accused would be upheld during the investigation.
“Bibhav Kumar has been allowed to meet his lawyer during the investigation and the family members, and if any medicines are required, he will be duly supplied,” Kumar affirmed, emphasizing adherence to legal procedures.
