Maliwal assault case: Chargesheet filed in court against Kejriwal’s close aide Bibhav Kumar, what will happen next?

New Delhi: Delhi Police filed a 500-page chargesheet against Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar in the case of assault on AAP’s Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal. The chargesheet has been filed in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal. he/she has also extended Kumar’s judicial custody till July 30. Kumar is accused of assaulting Swati Maliwal at the Chief Minister’s official residence on May 13. During Tuesday’s hearing in the court, the prosecution informed that the chargesheet is about 500 pages long and includes statements of 50 witnesses.

What is in the report?

The final report has been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 B (using force against woman with intent to disrobe her), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (using any word, gesture or object intended to insult the modesty of woman).

FIR was registered in the case on May 16

An FIR was registered at Delhi’s Civil Lines police station on May 16 and accused Kumar was arrested on May 18. he/she was sent to five-day police custody by a magistrate court on the same day. The court also observed that Kumar’s anticipatory bail plea had become ineffective after his/her arrest. The court sent him/her to four-day judicial custody on May 24 and then again to three-day police custody.

The High Court has refused to grant bail

A team led by a woman Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police level officer is investigating the entire case. Last Friday, the Delhi High Court also refused to grant bail to Kumar, saying that he/she is ‘very influential’. The Justice said that it cannot be denied that releasing the petitioner on bail may influence witnesses or tamper with evidence.