The Supreme Court of India issued a notice to the Delhi Police on Thursday regarding the bail plea of Bibhav Kumar, a close aide of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Kumar was arrested in May following allegations of assault by AAP MP Swati Maliwal inside Kejriwal's residence. The next hearing is scheduled for August 7.

Kumar, who remains in judicial custody until July 16, faces serious charges including criminal intimidation, assault with intent to disrobe, and attempted culpable homicide. He is also accused of tampering with evidence and providing false information.

During a brief hearing, the court noted that bail is often granted even to serious offenders, but expressed skepticism about Kumar's potential influence over witnesses. The bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan criticized Kumar, calling him a "goon" and questioning the validity of his bail arguments.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Kumar, challenged the delay in Maliwal's complaint and highlighted inconsistencies in her FIR. Singhvi contended that Maliwal’s claims about being assaulted in specific areas were contradictory. The court, however, emphasized that Maliwal had contacted the police helpline immediately after the alleged incident, which undermines Singhvi’s argument about delay.

Maliwal, who alleged the assault occurred in the Chief Minister's residence, argued that her complaint was valid despite her presence being questioned. Singhvi objected to the court’s treatment of the FIR as definitive evidence, but the court stressed its focus on due process rather than political matters.

Kumar and the AAP deny the allegations, framing the case as part of a BJP conspiracy. The BJP has used the incident to demand Kejriwal’s resignation, intensifying political tensions.