Bibhav arrested at the same time his anticipatory bail plea was being heard: Atishi

Delhi Minister Atishi alleged on Saturday that the city police arrested Bibhav Kumar at the same time his anticipatory bail plea was being heard in court.

Addressing a press conference, Atishi said Kumar had filed a plea for anticipatory bail before the Tis Hazari court.

Kumar was picked up for questioning by the Delhi Police around 11 am. As soon as he was taken for questioning, news channels started saying he had been arrested, she claimed.

“This shows the BJP’s conspiracy. Their intention is to disturb our election campaign and Arvind Kejriwal,” she said.

Atishi said the Tis Hazari court considered Kumar’s matter urgent and agreed to hear his plea on Saturday itself.

“The court commenced hearing on his plea at 3.55 pm and within 20 minutes, the Delhi Police arrested him at the Civil Lines police station. As soon as his lawyers began arguments, the police learnt that their case is weak and Kumar would get relief. So, they arrested Kumar,” she claimed.

Atishi alleged that when the court was dictating its order on the matter at 4.55 pm, the Delhi Police lawyer appeared through videoconferencing and said Kumar had already been arrested.

Kumar’s anticipatory bail plea has become “infructuous” as he has been arrested, the court observed.

Atishi said, “Even they knew that their case was weak and if the case was heard, Bibhav Kumar would get bail. That is why tomorrow (Sunday) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will lead all AAP leaders and to the BJP headquarters and court arrest.”

Kejriwal said he and other AAP leaders would go to the BJP headquarters on Sunday “so that the prime minister can send anyone he wants to jail”.

The BJP is saying they would send AAP MP Raghav Chadha and Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj to jail, he claimed at a press briefing, hours after Kumar was arrested.