Swati Maliwal assault case: Court extends Bibhav Kumar's judicial custody by 1 day

Kumar's custody was extended by the magistrate after noting that the investigating officer (IO) was not present, court sources said.

New Delhi: A court here on Friday extended by one day the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar.

Kumar is accused of assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on May 13 at the chief minister's official residence.

He was produced through video conferencing before the duty metropolitan magistrate after his 14-day judicial custody expired.

Court sources said Kumar's custody was extended by the magistrate after noting that the investigating officer (IO) was not present.

Kumar was arrested on May 18. He was sent to police custody for five days the same day by a magisterial court, which observed that his anticipatory bail plea had become infructuous because of his arrest.

On May 24, he was sent to four days' judicial custody, following which he was again remanded in police custody for three days.

An FIR was registered against Kumar on May 16 under various Indian Penal Code provisions, including those related to criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force on a woman with the intent to disrobe and attempt to commit culpable homicide.