The judicial magistrate Gaurav Goyal issued a release order for Bibhav Kumar, an aide to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Tuesday. This follows the Supreme Court’s decision to grant him bail in connection with the assault case involving Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. Kumar has been required to post a personal and surety bail bond of Rs 1 lakh each.
The conditions set for Kumar’s bail include non-interference with witnesses and evidence, as well as mandatory attendance at court proceedings. The Supreme Court, under a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, had earlier acknowledged the necessity of bail, citing the extended period Kumar had spent in custody—over 100 days—and the complexity of the trial involving more than 51 witnesses, indicating a protracted judicial process.
In addition to these conditions, Kumar is instructed not to switch off his mobile phone and to remain available for the ongoing investigation as required. The court specifically emphasized that Kumar must not “directly or indirectly induce, give threat, or in any way dissuade the witnesses or persons acquainted with the facts of the case.”
Kumar, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting Maliwal on May 13 at the chief minister’s official residence, was released from Tihar Jail at 2 pm following the court’s orders.
The Delhi Police have compiled a substantial 500-page report against Kumar, which includes charges under several sections of the Indian Penal Code. These sections encompass causing the disappearance of evidence (201), attempt to commit culpable homicide (308), wrongful restraint (341), and various charges related to assault and criminal intimidation directed at a woman.
