Trouble mounts for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as the Swati Maliwal Assualt Case intensifies. Now, Delhi Police team has arrived at the residence of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. Earlier, National Commission for Women (NCW) has summoned the ruling AAP chief’s private secretary Bibhav Kumar to appear on Friday in connection with the alleged assault on Rajya Sabha MP and former DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal. Bibhav Kumar has been accused of assaulting AAP MP Swati Maliwal at the CM’s residence in Delhi. A Delhi Police Special Cell team, including senior officers, arrived at AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal’s home here days after she was allegedly assaulted at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence. Additional Commissioner of Police. Pramod Kumar Kushwaha, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, and other officers visited Maliwal’s residence.
#WATCH | Delhi Police team arrives at the residence of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.
Bibhav Kumar has been accused of assaulting AAP MP Swati Maliwal at the CM’s residence in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/d4HSu8hJSA
— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2024
“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.
Arvind Kejriwal’s Silence
Earlier in the day, as Chief Minister Kejriwal entered the venue for his joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, reporters tried questioning him on the alleged assault on the AAP Rajya Sabha member.
However, the AAP supremo evaded all queries on Maliwal.
As the issue was raised at the joint presser, Akhilesh brushed aside the query saying “There are other issues that are more important than this.”
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh’s Reaction
Coming to his party’s defence thereafter, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of playing ‘political games’ on the issue, alleging that the ruling party at the Centre was behind an earlier incident in which Maliwal was ‘dragged and manhandled’ by Delhi Police personnel during the wrestlers’ protest near Jantar Mantar.
BJP Slams AAP
Earlier in the day, the BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala claimed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was shielding his personal assistant Bibhav Kumar, the accused in the case.
Sharing an image of AAP leaders at the Lucknow airport in which party boss Kejriwal, along with Sanjay Singh and Bibhav Kumar are seen, Poonawala posted from his official X handle on Thursday, “72 hours No FIR on Bibhav Kumar instead Kejriwal is protecting him! Roaming around with him..” The BJP spokesperson claimed that the assault on Maliwal was done at the behest of Kejriwal and she was subjected to violence.”It is clear: attack on Swati Maliwal was done at (the) behest of Kejriwal himself Sheesh Mahal is Apradh Mahal & just like Draupadi cheerharan–a woman Rajya Sabha MP was subjected to violence, assault,” Poonawala added.
What Is The Allegation?
The alleged assault by the former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has triggered a major political slugfest between the BJP and the AAP, with the former accusing the CM of shielding his accused aide.