Evasive answers, missing evidence: What Delhi Police told court in Swati Maliwal case

Delhi Police on Saturday arrested CM Arvind Kejriwal's secretary Bibhav Kumar in connection with the AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal assault case. While seeking Kumar's seven-day custody the Delhi Police, in the court filing, outlined several key points against Bibhav Kumar.

Here's what the Police told the court:

Seriousness of the Case

The police described the assault on Swati Maliwal as a "serious case" that could have turned "fatal."

Lack of Cooperation

Kumar was reportedly evasive and uncooperative during questioning, necessitating further police custody for detailed interrogation.

Medical Corroboration

Maliwal's allegations of being screamed at, threatened, and brutally assaulted were supported by medical evidence.

Crucial Missing Evidence

The Delhi Police told the court that the most vital evidence, a digital video recording (DVR) from the scene, had not been provided. It said a junior engineer from the CM's residence admitted to not having access to the DVR and CCTV cameras.
A provided video from the dining room was found blank at the time of the incident.

Potential Tampering

The Police highlighted that Kumar's presence at the crime scene raised concerns about potential tampering with crucial electronic evidence.

Previous Incident

The Police highlighted another case that was registered against Kumar in Noida for allegedly assaulting an on-duty public servant.

Mobile Phone Evidence

The investigating team further told the court that Kumar claimed to have formatted his mobile phone in Mumbai on Friday (May 17).

Notably, while the AAP is seemingly supporting Bibhav Kumar, its MP Swati Maliwal has yet again alleged conspiracy and raised questions about why a 50-second video after the incident was released by the party. Meanwhile, Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal granted a five-day police custody to Bibhav Kumar based on these points, allowing further investigation into the case.

Also watch: Swati Mailwal case: Bibhav Kumar sent to five-day custody