In an embarrassment to the Aam Aadmi Party, its MLA from Deoli constituency in Delhi was booked in connection with a molestation case. He has been accused of the crime for the second time in recent days. The FIR was filed at the Sangam Vihar police station on Wednesday.
According to the allegations by the victim, Jarwal and 50 men had barged into her house and then threatened and molested her. Jarwal had also allegedly used abusive language against her.
With regards to the allegation, a case has been filed under sections 354, 509, 506 of the IPC, which deal with assault on a woman, any act committed to insult the modesty of any woman and criminal intimidation respectively.
Jarwal though has rejected the charges and has termed them political vendetta. He also alleged that the woman belonged to the BJP, and the charges were fabricated.
This isn’t the only time Jarwal has run afoul of the law. About 3 months back, a similar case was filed against him over allegations of misbehaving with a woman. Even during that timed he had claimed political vendetta. But there are not just molestation crimes he is accused of committing. In March 2014, a case was filed against him for assaulting a junior engineer of the Delhi Jal Board.
It is not just Jarwal, but molestation charges have also been filed against other prominent members of the AAP on a regular basis.
On 6th July, police had booked senior AAP leaders Somnath Bharti, Jarnail Singh and Amanatullah Khan on charges of assaulting and molesting a woman. According to the woman, she was thrashed by the trio and their aides. She further alleged that she was also dragged and locked inside a room. She had also alleged that Somnath Bharti abused her. The incident allegedly happened when the woman had visited the Delhi assembly to watch the house proceedings.
One of the accused, Amanatullah Khan had notched another serious charge in September of last year, after a woman had alleged that he had molested her 5 times. Whereas a case of domestic violence and attempt to murder was filed against Somnath Bharti by his wife. Even though it was a case filed by his wife, Somnath Bharti had then termed the charges a “BJP sponsored litigation”.
AAP has been routine accused of being women-unfriendly party by many people, including some women leaders who had joined the party with high hopes, such as founding member Madhu Bhaduri. Last year an AAP activist had committed suicide after claiming sexual exploitation by fellow party members. She had claimed that when she complained to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal about the exploitation and molestation, demanding action against the culprits, Kejriwal had suggested her to instead work out a compromise with the accused.
