“Is this kind of goon supposed to work in the CM’s residence?” the Supreme Court asked sharply on Thursday, criticizing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide, Bibhav Kumar, who allegedly assaulted AAP MP Swati Maliwal earlier this year.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan scheduled Kumar’s bail plea hearing for next Wednesday and expressed their shock at the incident details recorded by the Delhi High Court. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi was told by the court that they were appalled by the nature of the allegations.
Kumar, who has challenged the Delhi High Court’s July 12 order denying him bail, claimed the accusations are false and argued that his custody is no longer necessary as the investigation is complete. The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Delhi government regarding his plea.
“Is CM residence a private bungalow? Is this kind of ‘goon’ supposed to work in the CM’s residence?” the bench asked Singhvi, noting that the injuries were reportedly minor and the FIR was filed three days after the incident on May 13.
In its critical remarks, the bench questioned what Maliwal, an AAP Rajya Sabha MP, calling the police helpline during the incident suggested. “Every day we grant bail to contract killers, murderers, robbers, but the question is what kind of incident…” the bench said, emphasizing their concern about the nature of the assault.
The bench added, “He (Bibhav Kumar) acted as if some ‘goon’ had entered the official residence of CM.” They expressed their shock, saying, “Is this a way to deal with a young lady? He (Bibhav Kumar) assaulted her even after she informed him of her physical condition.”
Kumar, a political secretary to Kejriwal, has been in judicial custody for 75 days, according to Singhvi. The alleged assault on Maliwal occurred on May 13 at Kejriwal’s official residence. An FIR was filed on May 16 under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal intimidation, assault with intent to disrobe, and attempt to commit culpable homicide. Kumar was arrested on May 18.
While denying him bail, the high court noted that Kumar holds “considerable influence” and expressed concerns that witnesses might be influenced or evidence tampered with if he were released on bail.
