Swati Maliwal Assault Case: Delhi Court sends Kejriwal’s close aide Bibhav Kumar to 14-day judicial custody

May 31, 2024

New Delhi:  Pronouncing its order, The court today sent Bibhav Kumar to judicial custody of 14 days. The order was pronounced by Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court.

The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved the order on maintainability grounds on a plea moved by Kejriwal’s close aide Bibhav Kumar. Bibhav Kumar has been seeking direction to declare his arrest by Delhi Police as illegal.

Delhi HC transfer case to MP/MLA judge

Bibhav Kumar plea challenging his arrest in connection with Swati Maliwal assault case has been transferred to bench of judges handling cases involving MP/MLAs. Hearing in the matter was done by Justice Navin Chawal and the plea has been transferred to roster bench handling cases involving Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MP/MLAs).

Justice Navin Chawal while transferring the case to MP/MLA bench cited that since complainanat in the matter is a Rajya Sabha member, the matter can be heard by the Judge assigned to MP/MLA matters.

After the transfer of case now Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, the roster judge for criminal cases involving sitting and former MPs/MLAs, is expected to hear the matter later today.

Bibhav Kumar, close aide of Arvind Kejriwal is seeking compensation for what he terms his “illegal arrest”. Bibhav Kumar’s plea challenges his arrest in alleged assault allegations against him by Swati Maliwal.

Kumar has said hin his plea that his arrest was conducted in violation of the Supreme Court’s guidelines established in the landmark Arnesh Kumar judgment, which outlines the procedures and conditions under which arrests should be made to prevent unnecessary detentions.

Earlier, the trial court denied bail to Bibhav Kumar saying that tampering of evidences is possible and therefore no ground of bail can be made. After this, Bibhav moved Delhi High court and filed plea challenging his arrest by Delhi Police.