AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, in a first, hit back at Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal, nine days after she accused his close aide, Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her at the Chief Minister’s residence on 13th May. Taking to X, she dismissed Kejriwal’s fair probe demand in her case stating that she doesn’t buy it “one bit”.
Notably, on Wednesday (22nd May), Kejriwal gave his first response on the Maliwal assault case after he faced massive criticism for maintaining silence and deflecting media queries over the 13th May incident for eight straight days. It is pertinent to note that while he didn’t speak about the particular incident until Wednesday, he had extended his support to the assault accused, Bibhav Kumar. Kumar accompanied him on a visit to Lucknow and the CM also held a protest against his arrest in this case and stormed BJP’s headquarters in the national capital.
In an interview with the news agency PTI, Kejriwal on Wednesday said that there are two versions of the incident (in the Maliwal assault case) and Police should probe both versions fairly. He, however, added that he expects a fair investigation into the matter and that justice should be served.
Kejriwal claimed that since the matter is “sub-judice,” his comment might affect the ongoing proceedings. He added, “But I expect there will be a fair investigation. Justice should be served. There are two versions of the event. Police should investigate both versions fairly and justice should be done.”
Responding to Kejriwal’s response, Maliwal, for the first time took a direct hit at Kejriwal. Rubbishing his “fair probe” demand, she retorted saying, “Irony died a thousand deaths. I don’t buy this one bit.”
Slamming the AAP Chief, she wrote, “After unleashing the entire army of leaders and volunteers at me, calling me a BJP agent, assassinating my character, leaking edited videos, victim shaming me, roaming around with the accused, letting him re-enter the crime scene and tamper evidence and protesting in favour of the accused, the Chief Minister, in whose drawing-room I was beaten up, has finally said that he wants free and fair investigation in the matter.”
After unleashing the entire army of leaders and volunteers at me, calling me a BJP agent, assassinating my character, leaking edited videos, victim shaming me, roaming around with the accused, letting him re enter the crime scene and tamper evidences and protesting in favour of… https://t.co/ybNwRqGq1K
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 22, 2024
Additionally, earlier in the day, Maliwal said that there is “a lot of pressure” within the party to tarnish her reputation.
कल पार्टी के एक बड़े नेता का फोन आया। उसने बताया कैसे सब पर बहुत ज़्यादा दबाव है, स्वाति के ख़िलाफ़ गंदी बातें बोलनी हैं, उसकी पर्सनल फ़ोटोज़ लीक करके उसे तोड़ना है। ये बोला जा रहा है कि जो उसको सपोर्ट करेगा उसको पार्टी से निकाल देंगे। किसी को PC करने की और किसी को ट्वीट्स करने…
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 22, 2024
Taking to X, she said, “Yesterday, I got a call from a senior leader of the party. He told me how there is a lot of pressure on everyone, they have to speak dirty things against Swati, and they have to break her by leaking her photos. It is being said that whoever supports her will be expelled from the party. Someone has been given the duty of doing PC and someone else has been given the duty of tweeting.”
Development in the case
On 13th May, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal accused the Personal secretary of Arvind Kejriwal of assaulting her. In her complaint, Maliwal has alleged that Kejriwal’s personal Secretary Bibhav Kumar “slapped” her “at least seven to eight times” while she “continued screaming” and “brutally dragged” her while “kicking” her in her “chest, stomach, and pelvis area.” According to the Delhi Police FIR, Maliwal described the events of May 13 when she had gone to the Civil Lines residence of Chief Minister Kejriwal. The Delhi Police have arrested Kumar in this case.
In Kumar’s remand application, Delhi Police submitted in the remand application that the attack on the AAP MP could have been fatal. Delhi Police mentioned this in its application submitted to the court seeking a seven-day police remand of the accused Bibhav Kumar.
The Police also mentioned in their remand request that Bibhav Kumar admitted to formatting his Apple iPhone 15, and the phone needs to be taken to Mumbai to recover the data, for which his police remand was needed. Notably, as per the Police, CCTV footage from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence during the period of assault on May 13 has turned out to be blank. It was also reported earlier that Delhi Police may add a destruction of evidence charge against Bibhav Kumar for deleting CCTV footage and formatting the phone.
Meanwhile, as the entire Aam Aadmi Party, except DCW member Vandana Singh, has started a campaign against Maliwal calling her allegations “false” and labelling her a “traitor and a BJP agent”, she recently warned her party against using such tags for her stating that she will take Kejriwal and company to court for every lie spread against her.
