Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar arrested from Delhi CM house in Maliwal assault case

A senior Delhi Police officer said they are taking Bibhav Kumar to Civil Lines police station for preliminary interrogation and after that, they will produce him before the court

The Delhi Police on Saturday arrested Bibhav Kumar, the private secretary of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, in connection with the assault case filed by Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Thursday at Civil Lines police station in New Delhi.

Bibhav Kumar. (File)

A senior Delhi Police officer said that Kumar was arrested from the chief minister’s residence. “We are taking him to Civil Lines police station for preliminary interrogation. After that, we will produce him before the court for necessary action,” he said, asking not to be named.

It may be noted that Maliwal filed a first information report (FIR) where she alleged that Kumar slapped her 7-8 times without any provocation, pounced on her, kicked her chest and pelvis, and deliberately pulled up her shirt at the chief minister’s residence when she went to meet Kejriwal on Monday.

Earlier on Friday, the Delhi Police team had taken Maliwal to CM’s residence for recreating the crime scene. The police team had gone with forensic experts, and they had seized the DVR of CCTV cameras.

Kumar, on the other hand, submitted an email complaint to the Delhi police on Friday, countering Maliwal’s allegations. He claimed it was she who allegedly “forcefully and unauthorisedly entered the CM’s residence, abused and assaulted him and threatened to implicate him in false cases”. He also alleged that she threatened to file a false case against him and send him to jail when Kumar prevented her from entering the main building of the CM’s residence.

Delhi minister Atishi, in a press conference on Friday, questioned allegations made by Maliwal and said that her complaint was part of a BJP conspiracy.