Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar has been granted bail by the Supreme Court on Monday, in the Swati Maliwal assault case.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed that Kumar not be reinstated as a personal assistant to Kejriwal or given any official assignment in the chief minister's office.
The apex court has also exempted Kumar from entering the chief minister's residence till all witnesses have been examined. Kumar, who was arrested on May 18, is facing allegations of assaulting Maliwal, a Rajya Sabha MP, on May 13 at Kejriwal's official residence.
An FIR was registered against Kumar on May 16 under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including those related to criminal intimidation, assault, or using criminal force on a woman with the intent to disrobe and attempt to commit culpable homicide.
While denying Bibhav bail earlier, the high court had said the accused enjoys "considerable influence" and no ground has been made out to grant him the relief, adding that it cannot be ruled out that witnesses may be influenced or evidence tampered with in case the petitioner is released on bail.
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