Swati Maliwal alleges Arvind Kejriwal’s aide ‘hit and kicked me in the stomach’
PTC News Desk: After remaining silent for four days regarding an incident that has sparked a heated political dispute between the opposition BJP and the ruling AAP, Swati Maliwal, the leader of the party, has finally submitted a statement to Delhi Police. Maliwal is at the center of an alleged harassment case involving party boss Arvind Kejriwal’s assistant, Bibhav Kumar.
A case has been launched against Bibhav Kumar based on the complaint. According to sources, Maliwal has been sent to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences for a medical examination. She said, “What happened to me was very bad,” in a post on X, the previous Twitter platform. I have had an extremely terrible few days.”
मेरे साथ जो हुआ वो बहुत बुरा था। मेरे साथ हुई घटना पर मैंने पुलिस को अपना स्टेटमेंट दिया है। मुझे आशा है कि उचित कार्यवाही होगी। पिछले दिन मेरे लिए बहुत कठिन रहे हैं। जिन लोगों ने प्रार्थना की उनका धन्यवाद करती हूँ। जिन लोगों ने Character Assassination करने की कोशिश की, ये बोला…
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 16, 2024
“I had a really horrible experience. I have provided the police with my statement regarding the incident that occurred to me. I’m hoping the right steps will be done. I have had an extremely terrible few days. I’m grateful to everyone who prayed for me. The people who attempted to discredit her said that she was acting at the other party’s request; may God continue to bless them as well.
The nation is currently holding a crucial election; national issues are more significant than Swati Maliwal. Her message was roughly translated into Hindi as follows: “There is a special request to BJP people to not do politics on this incident.”
Maliwal’s statement was recorded by the Delhi Police, who have since launched a complaint against Arvind Kejriwal’s assistant. A two-person police squad led by Assistant Commissioner of Police PS Kushwaha met Ms. Maliwal at her home on Thursday night after she had been placed under house arrest following the alleged assault in order to gather information and get a statement. Four hours passed during the meeting, officials said news agency PTI.
This occurred a few hours after Kumar received a summons from the National Commission for Women. In accordance with the applicable provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Kumar for assault, criminal intimidation, and outraging a woman’s modesty.
#WATCH | Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva says, "We know that Vibhav Kumar is Arvind Kejriwal's associate and handles all his work…Who insighted him? Who gave him the directions? All this should be investigated…It would have been better if Sanjay Singh himself went to… https://t.co/j1M6uh6vDS pic.twitter.com/GnnguiItwR
— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2024
On Monday, Bibhav Kumar is said to have attacked Swati Maliwal at the Chief Minister’s house in the Civil Lines neighbourhood of Delhi. Sanjay Singh of the AAP, who verified the “distressing incident” on Tuesday, claims that she was waiting to see the Chief Minister when Kumar ‘misbehaved’ with her.
Delhi Police acknowledged that they were notified of the harassment by two calls from an unidentified individual inside Arvind Kejriwal’s home, but from a phone number that belonged to Maliwal.
Later, Maliwal showed up at a local police station, but she departed without reporting anything. Following Maliwal’s attack, the BJP launched a barrage of counterattacks against the AAP and Kejriwal. Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March for a liquor policy issue, but he was freed on bail last week to campaign for his party in the ongoing general election.
According to the BJP, Kejriwal is protecting his assistant in spite of increased calls for his resignation. Those charges gained traction today as he appeared to sidestep inquiries about this subject from reporters.
Singh, who is currently free on bond in the liquor policy case, responded promptly on behalf of the Chief Minister. The MP for the Rajya Sabha urged that the BJP respond to inquiries regarding crimes against women in Manipur and claims that JDS MP Prajwal Revanna, an ally, was the victim of sexual assault.
Singh referred to the occurrence as “shameful” on Tuesday and stated that Arvind Kejriwal has “taken cognisance and called for strictest possible action” against his assistant. “Political games” are unacceptable, he declared, adding that the party supports Maliwal, referring to her as “one of the AAP’s oldest and senior-most leaders”.
The BJP promptly denounced Mr. Singh’s statement. “Why were they silent for 36 hours?” asked Virendra Sachdeva, the party’s leader in Delhi. The Chief Minister was nowhere to be found. “A woman, a Rajya Sabha MP, was mistreated at Mr. Kejriwal’s residence, and you are just now becoming aware of it?”
Arvinder Singh Lovely, a newcomer to the BJP from the Congress, said, “It is terrible and condemnable if Swati Maliwal has been handled this way. It is impossible for those who talk about guarantees to ensure the protection of women in their own homes. This begs concerns about the government.”
The Congress, an ally of the AAP, has also reacted to the controversy surrounding the alleged attack on Ms. Maliwal.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a leader of the Congress, declared, “I always stand with women, irrespective of which party they belong to,” but she deferred to the AAP for any future action.
AAP is a member of the opposition alliance led by Congress in India, which was established to unseat Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP in the current Lok Sabha election. On May 25, the seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi will go to polls in the election’s fifth phase. The BJP won all seven of the previous elections.