The Supreme Court on Wednesday mandated the Delhi Police to submit a response by August 21 regarding the bail application of Bibhav Kumar, an aide to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kumar is seeking bail in connection with the alleged assault of AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal. The directive came during a hearing by a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan.
During the proceedings, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the Delhi Police, requested three weeks to prepare the response. However, Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kumar, contested the extended timeline citing that the charge sheet had already been filed. The Supreme Court subsequently set the date for the police’s submission and scheduled the next hearing for August 27.
The case has attracted significant attention, particularly due to comments from the bench during earlier proceedings. The judges expressed severe criticism of Kumar’s actions, questioning the propriety of his employment at the Chief Minister’s residence given the nature of the allegations. “Is CM residence a private bungalow? Is this kind of ‘goon’ supposed to work in the CM’s residence?” the court had remarked.
Kumar was arrested following an incident on May 13 at Kejriwal’s official residence, where he is alleged to have assaulted Maliwal. The FIR, lodged on May 16, includes serious charges such as criminal intimidation, assault with intent to disrobe, and attempt to commit culpable homicide.
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In denying bail, the Delhi High Court had noted Kumar’s “considerable influence” and expressed concerns about potential witness tampering or evidence manipulation if he were released. The high court’s decision underscored the gravity of the accusations and the need to ensure a fair trial process.
