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Who is Bibhav Kumar, Kejriwal's PA in spotlight over alleged assault on Swati Maliwal?
Bibhav Kumar, the PA to Arvind Kejriwal, has recently been embroiled in several controversies, the latest being the alleged assault on AAP MP Swati Maliwal.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal assistant Bibhav Kumar is again in the news for all the wrong reasons. The Delhi Police on Monday received two calls from Arvind Kejriwal's residence alleging an assault on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal. Bibhav Kumar allegedly prevented Maliwal, who was conspicuous by her absence during the chief minister’s internment in the excise police case, from meeting Kejriwal. Maliwal visited Civil Lines Police Station but left without filing a complaint.
“A PCR call was received by the Civil Lines police at 9.34 am in which a woman claimed to be assaulted at the CM's residence. After some time, the MP Madam (Maliwal) visited the Civil Lines police station. However, she left soon after saying he would file a complaint later,” DCP (North) Manoj Meena told ANI.
HT reached out to Maliwal, a former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, for comments but she repeatedly disconnected the calls made.
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Who is Bibhav Kumar?
Bibhav Kumar, Kejriwal's PA, has been facing ED scrutiny in excise policy-linked money laundering probe as well as alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board.
In February, ED conducted raids at 12 locations, including those connected to Bibhav Kumar and AAP lawmaker ND Gupta. Last month, the probe agency questioned Bibhav Kumar in connection with the excise policy case. He was reportedly questioned to seek some clarifications regarding some documents in the excise probe.
A few days later, the Directorate of Vigilance terminated the services of Bibhav Kumar as personal secretary to the Chief Minister of Delhi. Kumar filed an OA before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) challenging the termination order. However, the CAT refused to stay the termination order, stating that granting such relief would be premature.
The termination order, issued by Special Secretary Vigilance YVVJ Rajshekhar, cited a 2007 case pending against Bibhav Kumar, wherein he was accused of obstructing government work.
The order stated that the charges against Bibhav Kumar are grave in nature, including charge of assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty.
"It is observed that charges against Bibhav Kumar are grave in nature, including charge of 'assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty' (section 353 IPC), for which the trial against Bibhav Kumar is at the stage of evidence, and therefore Bibhav Kumar is not clear from vigilance angle," it said.
"Any serious lapse in the verification procedure could result in appointment of persons in the personal staff of Ministers, MP and other government bodies, who are otherwise not eligible to man the post. This is fraught with dangers because such persons could also have access to sensitive information and data," the order added.
