Supreme Court Grants Bail to Kejriwal’s Aide
Bibhav Kumar, an aide to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, was granted bail on Monday by the Supreme Court. He had been accused of assaulting Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.
Court’s Considerations
The bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan noted that Kumar had already spent 100 days in custody. With the chargesheet filed and over 51 witnesses to be examined, the trial is expected to take considerable time.
Court’s Directives
The Supreme Court directed that important and vulnerable witnesses should be examined within three months. It also ordered that Kumar, who holds a Master’s degree from Delhi University and a postgraduate diploma in journalism, should not be reinstated as a personal assistant to Mr. Kejriwal or assigned any official role in the Chief Minister’s office.
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Restrictions on Kumar
The court further restricted the 43-year-old Kumar from entering the Chief Minister’s residence until all witnesses have been examined. Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal remains in judicial custody concerning the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.
AAP’s Response
Following the decision, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court for granting bail to Kumar. AAP’s chief national spokesperson, Priyanka Kakkar, stated during a press conference that the matter is sub-judice and further comments would be inappropriate.
Defense Arguments
During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kumar, argued that the injuries to Maliwal were minor. He questioned the justification for invoking Section 308 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to an attempt to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Singhvi also pointed out that the witnesses are Delhi police officials, reducing the risk of intimidation or influence.
Previous Court Rulings
On July 12, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Kumar’s bail plea, citing his considerable influence and lack of grounds for relief. However, the Supreme Court has reiterated the ‘bail is the rule’ principle, emphasizing that liberty should not be curtailed unless absolutely necessary.
The Case Against Kumar
Swati Maliwal, the former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, accused Kumar of assault on May 14 at the Chief Minister’s residence. She claimed that the AAP tried to depict her as a villain while portraying Kumar as a hero. In response, Kumar filed a counter-complaint, alleging that Maliwal gained unauthorized entry into the residence and verbally abused him.
