Arvind Kejriwal's Aide Remanded in Judicial Custody Amid Assault Allegations

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide, Bibhav Kumar, has been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days for allegedly assaulting AAP MP Swati Maliwal. The Delhi Police's plea for judicial custody was granted by Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal. High Court has reserved its order on the maintainability of Kumar's plea challenging his arrest.

A court here on Friday remanded Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar, who has been accused of assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, in judicial custody for 14 days.

Kumar, personal assistant to Kejriwal, allegedly assaulted Maliwal at the chief minister's official reidence on May 13.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal allowed the Delhi Police’s plea seeking judicial custody for Kumar, who was produced before him on expiry of his three- day police custody.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has reserved its order on maintainability of Kumar's plea challenging his arrest. Earlier on Monday, Kumar's bail plea was dismissed by a sessions court which said there appeared to be no ''pre-meditation'' by Maliwal in lodging the FIR and that her allegations could not be ''swiped away''.

Kumar was arrested on May 18. He was sent to police custody for five days the same day by a magisterial court which observed that his anticipatory bail plea had become infructuous because of his arrest. He was sent to four-day judicial custody last Friday.

The FIR against Kumar was registered on May 16 under various Indian Penal Code provisions, including for criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force on a woman with the intent to disrobe her and attempt to commit culpable homicide.