BREAKING: Swati Maliwal 'assault' row: Supreme Court grants bail to Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Monday.

The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Bibhav Kumar, a close associate of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was implicated in the alleged assault on Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. Kumar had been arrested by the Delhi Police on May 18 from Kejriwal's residence following a complaint lodged by Swati Maliwal. 

During the hearing, Justice Bhuyan noted that Bibhav Kumar had been in judicial custody for 100 days and chargesheet had been filed. Kumar, the personal assistant to Kejriwal, allegedly assaulted Maliwal at the chief minister’s official residence on May 13.

“I was slapped, unprovoked, 7-8 times by Bibhav Kumar. I was kicked on my stomach and pelvic region,” the former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal had alleged in her complaint.

The Supreme Court stated that the trial court shall endeavour to finish the examination of “important and vulnerable witnesses first within three months”. Bail has been granted to Kumar with the proviso that he cannot be reinstated as the Chief Minister of Delhi's PS or hold any other political position connected to the CM office. Additionally, the highest court ordered Kumar to wait to visit the Chief Minister's home until all witnesses had their chance to be cross-examined.

"Injuries (to Maliwal) are simple. It's a case for bail. You should not oppose. You can't keep a person in jail in such a case," Justice Bhuyan said.

Sections 308, 341 (wrongful restraint), 354(B) (assault or use of criminal force against woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) are among the charges listed in the FIR filed against Kumar.

Last month, a Delhi court extended the judicial custody of Kumar till September 13.