On January 21, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wrote to Lt Governor of Delhi VK Saxena and urged him to suspend Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) chief and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Swati Maliwal. In the letter to the LG, BJP cited a fair probe into the alleged molestation case as the reason. Notably, on January 19, Maliwal had claimed that a man allegedly molested her and dragged her for 10-15 metres outside the AIIMS in Delhi while her hand was stuck in the car’s window.
महामहिम @LtGovDelhi से अनुरोध @DCWDelhi अध्यक्ष सुश्री @SwatiJaiHind के द्वारा उठाये गये खुद से छेडछाड़ के आरोप अभियुक्त के @AamAadmiParty से सम्बंध सामने आने के बाद उन्हे पद से Suspend करें ताकि वह पुलिस जांच प्रभावित ना कर सकें।@TajinderBagga @bjp @shaziailmi @barkhasingh45 pic.twitter.com/28WC9dObKW
— Praveen Shankar Kapoor (@praveenskapoor) January 21, 2023
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said in his letter to the LG to suspend her to ensure she cannot misuse her position to influence the case. He added that the reports suggest the accused in the case is an AAP worker and was seen with AAP MLA during campaigning.
While condemning such incidents, Kapoor added that Delhi Police’s swift action was satisfactory in the matter as the accused was arrested within an hour of reporting the incident. He said, “But social media reports on this, as well as media reports, indicate that the eve teaser involved Harish Chandra Suryavanshi is an active worker of Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party from Sangam Vihar.”
Kapoor added, “This development revealing eve teaser’s connection with Aam Aadmi Party has exposed Swati Maliwal, and she will try her best to influence the police inquiry in the matter by using her constitutional office.”
Maliwal claimed she was molested and dragged
Maliwal claimed she was on inspection on the night of the incident. A man, who was later identified as 47-year-old Harish Chander Suryavanshi, stopped his car near her outside AIIMS while she was on an inspection at night. Suryavanshi, who was allegedly in an inebriated condition, allegedly molested her and dragged her for a few meters while her hand was stuck in the car’s window.
The allegations sparked outrage from AAP supporters, and Delhi police were targeted for not providing ample security for women at night. An FIR was registered against the accused and remanded by the court. Later he was released on bail.
BJP ‘exposed’ the alleged incident
On January 20, BJP allegedly exposed the incident and called it a “drama”. The party said that the person accused was an AAP member and it was part of a conspiracy.
बड़ा खुलासा-कल स्वाति के फ़र्ज़ी स्टिंग में गिरफ़्तार हुआ हरिश्चंद्र सूर्यवंशी,उसका भाई प्रेमशंकर और चंद्र तीनों @AamAadmiParty के कार्यकर्ता है।
— Virendra Sachdeva (@Virend_Sachdeva) January 20, 2023
और यह तीनों वहाँ के पार्षद के साथ दारू और सट्टे का धंधा चलाते है।
ऐसी घिनौनी साज़िश के लिए दिल्ली, केजरीवाल को माफ़ नहीं करेगी। pic.twitter.com/lwrGTbP1ie
Delhi BJP working president Virendra Sachdev said in a statement that Suryavanshi is a prominent AAP member from Sangam Vihar. He also shared an old photograph of the accused with AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal.
