New Delhi: In her complaint lodged with the Delhi Police, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal alleged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal secretary, Bibhav Kumar slapped, hit on stomach and kicked her at the Chief Minister's residence. Meanwhile, the medical examination of Maliwal was carried out at AIIMS. Delhi Police took her to AIIMS for a medical check-up.
She stayed at the AIIMS for about two hours. At around 3.26 am in the morning, her car was seen leaving AIIMS. Swati reached her home at 4 in the morning. The moment she got down from the car, she appeared to be limping.
The Delhi police registered an FIR in connection with the alleged assault earlier on Thursday naming Delhi CM's personal secretary, Bibhav Kumar. The FIR has been registered under sections 354, 506, 509, and 323 of the IPC, among other sections, for offences including assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, criminal intimidation, word gesture or acts of intent to insult and assault.
After lodging the complaint with the Delhi police, Swati Maliwal, in a post on X, requested the Bharatiya Janata Party to not do politics over the incident. Calling the incident "very bad", Maliwal said that she gave her statement in this regard to the police.
"What happened to me was very bad. I have given my statement to the police on the incident that happened to me. I hope that appropriate action will be taken. The last few days have been very difficult for me. I thank those who prayed for me. Those who tried to do character assassination, said that she was doing it on the instructions of the other party, may God keep them happy too," the former DCW chief said in a post on Thursday after lodging a complaint with the Delhi police.
She further asserted that the issues of the country are important and not "Swati Maliwal" highlighting the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. "An important election is going on in the country, Swati Maliwal is not important, the issues of the country are important. There is a special request to BJP people to not do politics on this incident," she added.
Earlier in the day, the National Commission for Women (NCW) summoned Bibhav Kumar to appear on May 17 in connection with the alleged assault. "The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo moto cognizance of a media post captioned 'DCW chief Swati Maliwal accuses Arvind Kejriwal's personal secretary of assaulting her'.
The post reported that Ms Swati Maliwal, RS MP and former DCW chief, has alleged that the Private Secretary of (the) Chief Minister of Delhi had brutally assaulted her at the Chief Minister's residence," read the notice issued by the NCW on Thursday.
"In view of the above, the Commission has scheduled a hearing in this matter on May 17, 2024, at 11 AM. All concerned parties are required to appear before the Commission in person," it added.
The alleged assault on the former chairperson of the DCW triggered a major political slugfest between the BJP and the AAP, with the former accusing the CM of shielding his accused aide. All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba had said that Swati Maliwal is a strong woman who would come forward and take the legal route on the issue.
"In the case of Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, after the press conference of AAP leader Sanjay Singh ji, it has been confirmed that some unpleasant incident has happened with Swati Maliwal ji in the CM residence, and her party stands strongly with her. Swati Maliwal is a strong and aware woman, I am confident that she will come forward and take the legal route and fight for justice," Alka Lamba said.
'Bibhav acted on orders of Kejriwal'
Speaking on the issue, BJP leader, Shazia Ilmi said that Bibhav Kumar's job profile is to obey Arvind Kejriwal and he has carried out orders of Arvind Kejriwal. “They are defending this for political gain... She (Swati Maliwal) has been beaten... Bibhav Kumar's job profile is to obey Arvind Kejriwal. I have also tolerated the misbehaviour of that person...Beating is very normal there. Prashant Kumar and Yogendra Yadav were also kicked out by bouncers. But this time they have crossed limits... Is beating up a woman by your PA appropriate? The police have done well. They have reached for her help... Kejriwal should resign immediately. It is not right for him to maintain that chair... After getting a female colleague beaten up, Kejriwal has no reason to be the CM. He should apologise and resign, and there should be immediate criminal action. No one should think that this has been done by Bibhav. All of this has been done by Arvind Kejriwal. Bibhav has done this misbehaviour on the orders of Arvind Kejriwal...” said Shazia Ilmi.
Delhi Police to scrutinise CCTV footage at Kejriwal's House
The Delhi Police has written to the company that has installed CCTVs at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's place to take footage of the incident in which party MP Swati Maliwal was allegedly assaulted at the Chief Minister's house, sources said.
All CCTV footage related to the incident will be scrutinized by the police, sources added. There are eight CCTV cameras installed outside Kejriwal's house. Around 10 police teams are investigating the entire matter, out of which four teams are trying to find out the accused, Kejriwal's personal secretary, Bibhav Kumar's location.
As per available information, Bibhav Kumar is in Punjab. Police teams from the North District and other teams have started investigating the case, sources said. At first, the police will make a timeline of the incident, following which the police will establish the complete sequence of the day when Maliwal was assaulted.
The police will check the time at which Maliwal reached the Chief Minister's House on May 13 and will also be recording the statements of everyone they met at the gate of the CM House. According to the information, Swati Maliwal took a cab to the CM House on May 13. The police will also be recording the statement of the cab driver. The Delhi Police will be recording everyone's statements who met Swati Maliwal at the CM House will be recorded.
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