The Delhi Police on Friday told the Supreme Court that it suspected a larger conspiracy behind the alleged assault of Rajya Sabha MP and Aam Aadmi Party leader Swati Maliwal by Bibhav Kumar, who is Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide, reported The Hindu.
Maliwal has accused Kumar of assaulting her at the chief minister’s official residence on May 13. Kumar was arrested on May 18. A Delhi court on Saturday extended his judicial custody in the case till September 13, reported Deccan Herald.
Kumar has been charged with assault, the use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe her, criminal intimidation, voluntarily causing hurt and using words, gestures or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman.
The Delhi Police told the Supreme Court that it suspected a larger conspiracy in the matter because of the contradictory stands espoused by public servants in the days after the alleged assault.
According to the first information report, Kumar had hit Maliwal in her chest, stomach and pelvic area. The Rajya Sabha MP also claimed she was threatened against filing a police complaint.
The Delhi Police had on Friday opposed Kumar’s bail plea, telling the Supreme Court that Kejriwal and Kumar spent a significant period of time together at the scene of the alleged assault immediately after the incident, reported The Hindu.
The police also expressed suspicion that CCTV camera footage from Kejriwal’s residence was selectively leaked to the media.
A day after the assault, the Aam Aadmi Party had said it would take strict action against Kumar for allegedly “misbehaving” with Maliwal. Party leader Sanjay Singh had said that Kejriwal had acknowledged the incident.
However, days later the party changed its stance and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of using Maliwal in the assault case against Kumar to defame Kejriwal.
In its affidavit to the Supreme Court, the Delhi Police said the alleged incident was a “very severe case” as the victim is a sitting MP of a ruling party in Delhi and that she had been “brutally beaten up”.
In his defence, Kumar had filed a complaint against Maliwal, accusing her of illegally entering the premises, causing a security breach and interfering with the official duties of the security personnel. However, the police on Friday alleged that Kumar’s complaint was false.
The police also argued that Kumar is an influential person who has worked for over nine years in a position of authority. It added that the chief minister’s staff continued to report to him even after he was relieved of his position in April, reported the Deccan Herald. He was sacked due to a 17-year-old criminal case registered against him.
On August 1, a bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan said that Kumar did not seem ashamed of the allegations.
The Delhi High Court denied Kumar bail on July 12 on the grounds that he could influence witnesses in the case.