On Tuesday, July 16, the Delhi Police filed a comprehensive 500-page chargesheet against Bibhav Kumar, an adviser to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in connection with the assault on Aam Aadmi Party MP Swati Maliwal. The chargesheet was submitted in the courtroom of metropolitan magistrate Gaurav Goyal. Due to being in judicial custody, Bibhav Kumar appeared in court via videoconference, with the magistrate extending his custody until July 30.
The charge sheet, slated for consideration on July 30th, includes statements from 50 witnesses. Bibhav Kumar faces multiple charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including wrongful restraint (Section 341), assault with intent to outrage modesty (Section 354), assault with intent to disrobe (Section 354B), criminal intimidation (Section 506), insult to modesty of a woman (Section 509), attempt to commit culpable homicide (Section 308), and destruction of evidence or providing false information (Section 201).
Allegations against Bibhav Kumar include attempts to format his phone and transfer data to his mother’s phone, tampering with CCTV footage at both Kejriwal’s and his own residences, and refusal to provide his phone password to investigators. Witnesses include security personnel from the Chief Minister’s residence, among others.
Earlier reports stated that Bibhav Kumar was arrested from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. Swati Maliwal, in her police complaint, accused Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her at Kejriwal’s residence on May 13th, involving forceful slapping and kicking to her chest and abdomen.
