Maliwal assault case LIVE | Bibhav arrested after anticipatory bail hearing started: AAP
A fresh video — CCTV footage from the CM’s residence — has emerged in which Maliwal can be seen being escorted out by a female security guard
Amid rapid developments in the Swati Maliwal “assault” case, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s personal secretary Bibhav Kumar was arrested by Delhi Police on Saturday (May 18).
This came after a fresh video — this time CCTV footage from the CM’s residence — emerged in which Maliwal can be seen being escorted out by a female security guard.
On Friday, another video, seemingly a phone clip, went viral online in which Maliwal can be seen seated on a sofa and arguing with some people, including Kumar.
Maliwal has alleged that Kumar assaulted her when she visited the CM’s residence on Monday. In her FIR, she has accused Kumar of kicking her in the chest, stomach, and the pelvic area.
In the FIR, the 39-year-old Rajya Sabha MP has alleged that her clothes were torn and she received severe injuries on her head and her leg. In the CCTV footage that emerged on Saturday though, Maliwal does not seem to have any injuries and her clothes are intact as she is escorted out by a female security personnel.
According to her medical report, though, Maliwal has bruises over her left leg and right cheek.
Following Maliwal's FIR, Kumar also filed a written complaint against her on Friday evening, blaming her for “creating an incorrect narrative".
While the BJP has been attacking Kejriwal and the AAP over the incident, the latter has now accused Maliwal of colluding with the saffron party to discredit Kejriwal amid the Lok Sabha polls.
Kumar was picked up from the CM’s residence by a Delhi Police team around noon Saturday, a senior police officer told the media. He has been taken to the police station for interrogation.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.
Bibhav Kumar’s anticipatory bail plea has become infructuous as he has been arrested, a Delhi court observed on Saturday.
Additional Sessions Judge Sushil Anuj Tyagi, while dictating the order to the court staff on the anticipatory bail plea, noted that Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Kumar Srivastava appeared through videoconferencing around 4.45 pm and informed the court that Kumar has already been arrested in the case.
“On court query, the additional public prosecutor for the state submitted that the applicant was arrested at about 4.15 pm,” the judge said.
The judge noted Srivastava’s submissions that Kumar’s wife had been duly informed about his arrest.
“Since the applicant (Kumar) has already been arrested, the present application is disposed of being infructuous,” the court said.
“Copy of this order be also sent to the investigating officer or station house officer concerned for information and necessary action,” it said.
Earlier in the day, the court had reserved its order on the plea filed before it on Saturday.