Kejriwal's Aide Taken to Mumbai for Data Retrieval in Alleged Assault Case

NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar, arrested for allegedly assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, was taken to Mumbai to retrieve data from his allegedly formatted phone, police said on Tuesday.

Mr Kumar is in five-day police custody in connection with the alleged assault on Ms Maliwal at the Delhi chief minister's residence.

Police said Mr Kumar had formatted his phone after transferring its data to some person or device in Mumbai. His mobile phone was seized following his arrest, but it was found to have been formatted.
A five-member police team landed at the Mumbai airport around 4.30 pm with Mr Kumar. They took him to many locations, including the place where he stayed, before returning to Delhi on May 18.

According to Delhi police officials, Mr Kumar's phones, laptop and CCTV recordings have been sent for forensic examination as his police custody is ending on Thursday.

Investigators are trying to collect all the evidence related to the case. A team led by a female additional DCP-level officer has been investigating the case.

In his counter complaint to the police, Mr Kumar accused Ms Maliwal of breaching the security of the chief minister's residence, gaining access forcibly and creating a ruckus there.

In his complaint, Mr Kejriwal's aide has claimed that when he tried to stop Mr Maliwal, she hurled abuses at him with the intent to physically assault him. He has also said in his complaint that Mr Maliwal is trying to falsely implicate him so as to create undue pressure on him.