Bibhav Kumar, accused in the Swati Maliwal assault case, remains in judicial custody, with his next court date set for September 13. The Tis Hazari Court in Delhi has requested a response from the investigating officer regarding Kumar's plea for proper pagination of the charge sheet and accompanying documents.
The court's decision came after a hearing where Kumar was produced via video conferencing from Tihar Jail.
Kumar's legal representative, Advocate Rajat Bhardwaj, argued for the proper organisation of the legal documents, which are crucial for his defence. The case against Kumar has already advanced, with Delhi Police having filed a comprehensive charge sheet.
The charge sheet includes several serious accusations, such as attempted culpable homicide (Section 308 of the IPC), assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty (Sections 354 and 354B), criminal intimidation (Section 506), word or gesture intended to insult the modesty of a woman (Section 509), wrongful restraint (Section 341), and destruction of evidence (Section 201).
The investigation has been thorough, with the police examining 100 individuals and listing 50 as witnesses. The evidence presented includes Kumar’s mobile phone, SIM card, and footage from CCTV cameras installed at the Chief Minister’s residence, where the alleged incident occurred on May 13.
The charge sheet itself is extensive, spanning 500 pages, reflecting the complexity of the case. Kumar's earlier attempts to secure bail have been unsuccessful, with both the trial court and the High Court rejecting his applications.
His arrest on May 18 followed a complaint by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal, who accused Kumar of assaulting her.
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