Amid the mega political summer slam between the ruling AAP and the BJP over the arrest of CM Arvind Kejriwal’s former aide in connection with the alleged assault on Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, Delhi Police sources on Sunday said it was considering adding the section for destruction of evidence in the case.
The development came close on the heels of the AAP leader and former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) alleging that Bibhav deleted parts of the CCTV footage from the CM’s Civil Lines residence that would have established his guilt beyond any reasonable doubt while validating her claim of assault.
Meanwhile, according to sources in Delhi Police, Kejriwal’s former personal assistant Bibhav Kumar, who was arrested on Saturday and is grilled for leads in the assault case, wasn’t cooperating with the ongoing probe.
Earlier, on Saturday, Bibhav was arrested in connection with the alleged assault on Maliwal and was produced before Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court, which remanded him in police custody for five days.
Further, according to sources in the Delhi Police, the sleuths could take Bibhav to Mumbai as they suspect that he dumped or disposed of all relevant phone data in the city before having it re-formatted.
According to sources, the police will try to retrieve the phone data with the help of forensic experts. Kejriwal’s former aide could also be taken to the CM’s Civil Lines residence in Delhi to determine the exact reason for the ‘fight’.
On Saturday, Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal remanded Bibhav to five days of police custody for further questioning in the case. He is scheduled to be produced before the court again on May 23, once the term of his remand expires.
Delhi Police, earlier, sought a week-long custody of the CM’s former PA. Bibhav, who was arrested at 4.15 pm on Saturday, was produced before Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court around 9.15 pm.
Bibhav was booked under IPC sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 354B (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), and 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).
Earlier, in his first response to Bibhav’s arrest in the assault case, CM Kejriwal accused the BJP at the Centre of playing ‘Jail Ka Khel’ (game of putting leaders in jail) with the AAP, adding that they would lead a ‘Jail Bharo’ march to the BJP’s headquarters on Sunday along with fellow party heavyweights as well as workers.
Ahead of the AAP march, Delhi Police, earlier in the day, threw an elaborate security ring around the BJP’s national headquarters while also issuing a traffic advisory, warning of snarls at DDU Marg, IP Marg, Minto Road and Vikas Marg.
It added that the DDU Marg may remain closed to traffic between 11 am and 2 pm, urging commuters to avoid stretches that are likely to experience logjams.
Maliwal, in her complaint, alleged that Kejriwal’s former personal secretary “slapped” her “at least seven to eight times” while she “continued screaming” and “brutally dragged” her while “kicking” her in her “chest, stomach and pelvis area.”
