Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was released on interim bail in the excise policy case, which he hailed as a 'victory of truth', but what awaited him and his party was a political storm, an assault allegation against his aide during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
The controversy began when Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal alleged that a member of Kejriwal's staff, Bibhav Kumar, had misbehaved with her at his residence. On May 16, Delhi Police registered an FIR in connection with the alleged assault on Maliwal.
What Did Swati Maliwal Say In FIR?
According to the FIR, Maliwal claimed: "He (Bibhav Kumar) slapped me 7-8 times at least while I continued screaming. I pushed him away to protect myself. At that time he pounced on me, brutally dragged me and deliberately pulled my shirt up."
During the alleged assault by Kumar, Maliwal said, she informed him that she was on her period, but it made no difference.
"Bibhav Kumar did not relent and attacked me by kicking me repeatedly in my chest, stomach and pelvic area with his legs. I was in extreme pain and kept telling him to stop," Maliwal said.
Aam Aadmi Party On Swati Maliwal Case
Initially, the AAP acknowledged that Kejriwal's aide had "misbehaved" and "acted indecently" with Maliwal. However, three days later, the party made a U-turn, claiming that Maliwal was a "pawn" in a conspiracy hatched by the BJP to take down Kejriwal.
At a press conference, senior AAP leader Atishi said, “Ever since Kejriwal has come out on bail, the BJP has been stumped. As a result, they conspired and sent Swati Maliwal to Kejriwal’s residence on Monday morning. The conspiracy was meant to level false allegations on Kejriwal. Swati Maliwal was the face of this conspiracy, she was a pawn in this conspiracy.”
Atishi also claimed that Maliwal had reached Kejriwal's house "unannounced, without an appointment, on May 13. Her intention was to level allegations against the CM. But he was unavailable, and he was saved as a result."
Swati Maliwal reacted to the party claims and wrote on X: "The leaders who joined the party yesterday declared a 20-year-old worker as a BJP agent. Two days ago the party had accepted the truth in the PC and today it has taken a U-turn.”
“This goon is threatening the party that if I get arrested I will reveal all the secrets. That is why he is roaming around in Lucknow and everywhere seeking shelter," she added.
On the U-turn made by AAP, Atishi said, “At the time, we only had Maliwal’s version of events. Now we also have Bibhav Kumar’s version. And the video has also come to light.”
Swati Maliwal's Argument With Staff In Video Footage
The video she was referring to is 51 seconds long, purportedly showing Maliwal sitting on a sofa and speaking to members of the CM’s security staff. In the video, the security staff can be heard asking Maliwal to leave, which she resists. "Fine, but for now you leave," one of the security staff tells her in Hindi.
Maliwal responds, "No, whatever needs to happen, will happen here now. You do whatever you want to do. And I will take away your job too if you touch me."
Watch the video here:
Swati Maliwal reacted to the video and said the video was out of context and the truth will be revealed when the CCTV footage is checked.
What Does Swati Maliwal's Medical Report Say?
A medical report compiled by the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre at AIIMS, Delhi, has detailed the injuries sustained by Swati Maliwal following the alleged assault. The report notes that Maliwal suffered bruises to her face and leg, in addition to injuries to four areas of her body, including her left leg and the area below her right eye.
According to the report, which is based on the account provided by Maliwal, she was "slapped multiple times" and "hit her head on a sharp object after being pushed" by the accused, Bibhav Kumar, at the Chief Minister's residence.
The medical examination was conducted on Thursday, with the report being published the following day.
Bibhav Kumar’s Charges Against Swati Maliwal
Arvind Kejriwal's aide, Bibhav Kumar, has submitted an email complaint to the Delhi Police, countering allegations of assault and attack levelled by Swati Maliwal against him. Kumar claims that Maliwal intended to harm Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
In his complaint, Kumar claims that when Maliwal “started walking from the drawing room towards the inner part of the CM residence”, he “apprehended that her motives were suspect and she intended to harm the CM”, as reported by The Indian Express.
“So the complainant strongly objected to her trying to gain forceful entry into the inner parts of the residence and stood in front of her to prevent the same. This infuriated Maliwal, who pushed the complainant,” he claimed, adding that she threatened to frame him in a false case. “Since it is election time, all of this may have been done at the behest of the BJP, and it is therefore requested that her call records, chats and interactions with BJP leaders should also be investigated,” he wrote.
AAP Releases Swati Maliwal’s CCTV Video
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has released a CCTV video showing Swati Maliwal amid the massive row. The purported video shows Swati Maliwal being escorted by security personnel out of the chief minister's house.
Watch here:
The AAP claims in the video that Maliwal could be seen walking calmly with the security personnel on May 13, without any limp. In another video, AAP claims she appears to be limping. The party has accused Maliwal of "acting to limp" four days after the incident.
