Swati Maliwal assault case: Court issues release order for Bibhav Kumar

A court here on Tuesday issued the release order of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar on a personal bail bond and surety of Rs 1 lakh each, a day after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the Swati Maliwal assault case.

The court also imposed other conditions on bail including that Kumar will not threaten witnesses and tamper with evidence. He will also have to attend court proceedings regularly.

Kumar, who was accused of assaulting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Maliwal on May 13 at the chief minister's official residence here, was on Monday granted bail by the Supreme Court, which noted that he had been in custody for more than 100 days and that the chargesheet was already filed.

 

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan also took into account the fact that the prosecution has proposed to examine more than 51 witnesses and said the trial will take time to conclude.

Noting the apex court's order, judicial magistrate Gaurav Goyal released Kumar's bail order on furnishing a personal bond and surety bond of Rs 1 lakh each. "Bail bond and surety bond furnished and accepted," the magistrate said.

Other conditions of the bail included Kumar not switching off his mobile phone and joining the investigation when required, the court said.

"The accused person shall not directly or indirectly induce, give threat, or in any way dissuade the witnesses or persons acquainted with the facts of the case," it added.

Kumar was released at 2 pm from the Tihar Jail, sources said.

Delhi Police's 500-page final report against Kumar has been filed under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code including sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty).

Other sections include 354 B (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to disrobe her), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (insult caused to the modesty of a woman by the use of any words, gestures or object intending to the do the same).