A man who was arrested over an alleged assault after a woman was pushed into the path of an oncoming bus has denied any involvement in the incident.

Millionaire American investment banker Eric Bellquist, 41, was held yesterday in relation to the incident in which the woman was pushed on Putney Bridge.

But his lawyers say he has irrefutable proof that he was in the United States at the time of the incident.

The bus managed to swerve at the last minute, narrowly avoiding running over the 33-year-old woman's head.

Eric Bellquist, 41, was held yesterday in relation to the incident in which the woman was pushed over on Putney Bridge

But today a law firm acting on behalf of Mr Bellquist, who works for London-based investment firm Hutton Collins, released a statement to say he was in the US at the time of the incident

But today the law firm acting on behalf of Mr Bellquist, who works for London-based investment firm Hutton Collins, released a statement to say he was in the US at the time of the incident.

It read: 'Our client has been wrongly implicated in this matter; he categorically denies being the individual concerned and has irrefutable proof that he was in the United States at the time of the incident.

'Consequently we expect a swift resolution to this wholly untrue allegation.’

Mr Bellquist, who lives in Chelsea, west London, joined Hutton Collins in 2002.

Over the course of various transactions he has represented Hutton Collins in the leisure, media/telecom and manufacturing sectors.

He currently represents Hutton Collins on the boards of Byron Hamburgers and was responsible for the firm's investment in Caffè Nero.

Mr Bellquist (pictured), who lives in Chelsea, west London, joined Hutton Collins in 2002

Mr Bellquist currently represents Hutton Collins on the boards of Byron Hamburgers and was responsible for the firm's investment in Caffè Nero

Prior to Hutton Collins, Mr Bellquist worked in the European Leveraged Finance and Sponsor Coverage group at Lehman Brothers. He is a graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Meanwhile, the driver of the London bus who swerved to avoid the woman who was pushed over has insisted he was 'just doing his job'.

Footage of the incident was released by Scotland Yard earlier this week, showing a man running over Putney Bridge and apparently knocking a woman into the path of an oncoming double-decker.

Bus operators Go Ahead London told 5 News: 'The driver commented that he is pleased to have been a hero, he was just doing his job.

A man was arrested after shocking CCTV apparently showed a jogger pushing a woman

A jogger was running across Putney Bridge in west London when he barged into the woman

'He is pleased to have been able to react the way he did and that there was no serious injury to the lady.'

Police said a 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm at an address in the Chelsea area of London yesterday morning following a public appeal.

He was taken to a south London police station and was released pending further enquiries, Metropolitan Police said.

Yesterday the Metropolitan Police said that officers had received a 'good response' after calling for information on the incident.

Mr Bellquist is a keen runner. He records his favourite routes across on the Mapmyrun smartphone app, which says he has covered more than 180 miles.

The device, which shows he last uploaded his runs in 2013, records how many calories he burned and his pace during various sprints across Chelsea. None of the routes shown on the website goes over Putney Bridge.

It is not clear why Mr Bellquist was apparently visiting America at the time when the pedestrian was pushed on Putney Bridge, but his family are all based in the US.

He is the grandson of the late Eric Bellquist, who was a distinguished Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Berkeley University, where he spent 56 years.

The professor, who died in 1979, once served as First Secretary of the US embassy in Stockholm.

The former diplomat was the recipient of a number of honours including being made Knight Commander and Order of the North Star in Sweden, and being given the Berkeley Citation – the university’s highest honour.

The bus stopped after the fall and passengers tended to the woman - who received minor injuries - following the incident during rush hour, at around 7.40am on May 5.

The Metropolitan Police said that officers had received a 'good response' after calling for information on the incident

The 33-year-old woman was lucky to escape serious injury after a bus driver swerved to avoid her on the bridge in south west London

Officers claimed the jogger ran the other way across the bridge around 15 minutes later and the victim attempted to speak to him, but 'he did not acknowledge her'.

Speaking earlier this week, sergeant Mat Knowles said: 'After he pushed her he ran across the bridge and 15 minutes later came back.

'By this time the members of the public who had helped the woman were gone and she tried to talk to him as he ran past her but he just ignored her.

A senior source from the bus company Go Ahead London said it was only down to the slow speed of the vehicle that the accident did not result in serious injury.

Yesterday morning on the bridge Putney locals on their way to work slammed the assault as 'despicable'.

Bellquist, pictured here giving his opinions on The Finance Forum on Youtube, is aged 41, and a partner at Mayfair based private equity firm Hutton Collins

Prior to Hutton Collins, Mr Bellquist worked in the European Leveraged Finance and Sponsor Coverage group at Lehman Brothers

Colin Stepney, a builder working on another house on the road, where homes fetch more than £4.4million, said: ‘Four officers bought him out in handcuffs.

‘He looked like he had just got out of bed, a bit scruffy I suppose. He was wearing a white T-shirt.

‘He wasn’t saying anything – he didn’t look upset or angry. He just quietly walked with them to the van.’

One woman, who refused to be named, said: 'I saw the video last night and I just couldn't believe it, the joggers round here can be a real menace.

'It is despicable. That poor woman, thank god she is okay.'

Another resident, a man in his late 20s, said:''I was watching the video last night and I couldn't believe how close she came to being under that bus.

'Some of the joggers around here can be really rude, but you would never expect that.'

Another commuter said: 'This driver is a hero it could have so easily ended differently.'