NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal‘s aide Bibhav Kumar, who is accused of assaulting AAP MP Swati Maliwal, and expressed shock at the details of the incident recorded by the Delhi high court.
“Is CM residence a private bungalow? Is this kind of ‘goon’ supposed to work in the CM’s residence?” the bench asked Singhvi, who said there were non-serious injuries and the FIR was lodged after three days of the incident on May 13.
The bench further questioned Singhvi about the implications of Maliwal, an AAP Rajya Sabha MP, calling the police helpline during the assault. They emphasized that while they routinely grant bail to contract killers, murderers, and robbers, the nature of this incident troubled them.
“Every day we grant bail to contract killers, murderers, robbers but the question is what kind of incident…He (Bibhav Kumar) acted as if some ‘goon’ had entered the official residence of CM,” the Supreme Court observed.
“We are shocked? Is this a way to deal with a young lady? He (Bibhav Kumar) assaulted her even after she told about her physical conditions,” it said.
This came after a court on Tuesday took cognisance of charge sheet against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar in the alleged assault of Maliwal.
‘Abused, slapped, kicked, hit’
The Aam Aadmi Party MP has accused Kumar of abusing and slapping her “at least seven to eight times” and hitting her in the stomach.
Providing chilling details of the incident, Maliwal had said, “At that time, he pounced on me, brutally dragged me and deliberately pulled my shirt up. My shirt buttons opened and my shirt flew up. I landed on the floor while hitting my head on the centre table. I was constantly screaming for help but no one came. After that, Bibhav Kumar did not relent and attacked me by kicking me in my chest, stomach and pelvis area with his legs. I was in extreme pain and kept telling him to stop. My shirt was coming up but he still continued to assault me.”
Kumar faces multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code 1860, including wrongful restraint (Section 341), assault or criminal force intended to outrage a woman’s modesty (Section 354), assault or criminal force aimed at disrobing a woman (Section 354B), criminal intimidation (Section 506), insult to a woman’s modesty (Section 509), attempt to commit culpable homicide (Section 308), and destruction of evidence or providing false information (Section 201).
On July 12, the Delhi high court denied bail to Kumar, citing his significant power and potential to influence witnesses in the case. Kumar was arrested on May 18 after a complaint by Maliwal alleging assault, which led to the registration of the case against him under various sections of the IPC.
“Is CM residence a private bungalow? Is this kind of ‘goon’ supposed to work in the CM’s residence?” the bench asked Singhvi, who said there were non-serious injuries and the FIR was lodged after three days of the incident on May 13.
The bench further questioned Singhvi about the implications of Maliwal, an AAP Rajya Sabha MP, calling the police helpline during the assault. They emphasized that while they routinely grant bail to contract killers, murderers, and robbers, the nature of this incident troubled them.
“Every day we grant bail to contract killers, murderers, robbers but the question is what kind of incident…He (Bibhav Kumar) acted as if some ‘goon’ had entered the official residence of CM,” the Supreme Court observed.
“We are shocked? Is this a way to deal with a young lady? He (Bibhav Kumar) assaulted her even after she told about her physical conditions,” it said.
This came after a court on Tuesday took cognisance of charge sheet against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar in the alleged assault of Maliwal.
‘Abused, slapped, kicked, hit’
The Aam Aadmi Party MP has accused Kumar of abusing and slapping her “at least seven to eight times” and hitting her in the stomach.
Providing chilling details of the incident, Maliwal had said, “At that time, he pounced on me, brutally dragged me and deliberately pulled my shirt up. My shirt buttons opened and my shirt flew up. I landed on the floor while hitting my head on the centre table. I was constantly screaming for help but no one came. After that, Bibhav Kumar did not relent and attacked me by kicking me in my chest, stomach and pelvis area with his legs. I was in extreme pain and kept telling him to stop. My shirt was coming up but he still continued to assault me.”
Kumar faces multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code 1860, including wrongful restraint (Section 341), assault or criminal force intended to outrage a woman’s modesty (Section 354), assault or criminal force aimed at disrobing a woman (Section 354B), criminal intimidation (Section 506), insult to a woman’s modesty (Section 509), attempt to commit culpable homicide (Section 308), and destruction of evidence or providing false information (Section 201).
On July 12, the Delhi high court denied bail to Kumar, citing his significant power and potential to influence witnesses in the case. Kumar was arrested on May 18 after a complaint by Maliwal alleging assault, which led to the registration of the case against him under various sections of the IPC.