Swati Maliwal 'assault' case: Bibhav Kumar moves Delhi HC seeking to declare arrest as 'illegal'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide, Bibhav Kumar, approached the Delhi High Court on Wednesday to challenge his arrest in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal assault case, calling it "illegal."

Kumar requested his release from custody through a writ petition. His attorneys claim that in addition to requesting a departmental probe, the application also names the Delhi Police personnel who are at the centre of the matter. On May 13, Kumar is charged with assaulting Maliwal at the Chief Minister's home in New Delhi.

Maliwal said that when she was waiting at the chief minister's official house, Kumar "brutally assaulted" her and used derogatory words against her. He also allegedly pulled her and struck her head on a centre table. He was sent to four-day judicial custody on May 24.

Kumar's approach to the high court comes after a Tis Hazari court in Delhi on Monday (May 26) dismissed his bail plea.

The court rejected Kumar's bail request, noting that the "apprehension of [Kumar] influencing the witnesses or tampering with the evidence cannot be ruled out" and that "allegations raised by the victim have to be taken on their face value and cannot be swiped away."

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police, in its remand report, stated that it was a "serious case" where the "brutal assault" could have turned "fatal". Police also alleged that Kumar was not co-operating with the probe.