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AAP MP Swati Maliwal was earlier Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (File).
New Delhi:
AAP leader Swati Maliwal – at the centre of an alleged harassment row involving party boss Arvind Kejriwal‘s aide Bibhav Kumar – has submitted a statement to Delhi Police, after four days of silence over an incident that has triggered a furious political spat between Delhi’s ruling outfit and the opposition BJP. On basis of the complaint, a case has been filed against Bibhav Kumar. Ms Maliwal has been taken to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences for a medical test, sources said.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, she said, “What happened to me was very bad… The last few days have been very difficult for me”.
“What happened to me was very bad. I have given my statement to the police on the incident that happened to me. I hope that appropriate action will be taken. The last few days have been very difficult for me. I thank those who prayed for me. Those who tried to do character assassination, said that she was doing it on the instructions of the other party, may God keep them happy too. An important election is going on in the country, Swati Maliwal is not important, the issues of the country are important. There is a special request to BJP people to not do politics on this incident.,” read a rough translation of her post in Hindi.
मेरे साथ जो हुआ वो बहुत बुरा था। मेरे साथ हुई घटना पर मैंने पुलिस को अपना स्टेटमेंट दिया है। मुझे आशा है कि उचित कार्यवाही होगी। पिछले दिन मेरे लिए बहुत कठिन रहे हैं। जिन लोगों ने प्रार्थना की उनका धन्यवाद करती हूँ। जिन लोगों ने Character Assassination करने की कोशिश की, ये बोला…
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 16, 2024
The Delhi Police recorded Ms Maliwal’s statement and have filed a case against Arvind Kejriwal’s aide. On Thursday evening, a two-member police team – led by Assistant Commissioner of Police PS Kushwaha – met Ms Maliwal, incommunicado since the alleged assault, at her home to seek details and record a statement. The meeting lasted for four hours, officials told news agency PTI.
This was hours after the National Commission for Women issued a summons to Mr Kumar.
The police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Kumar for assault, criminal intimidation, and outraging a woman’s modesty under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
READ | Kejriwal’s Aide Summoned By Women’s Panel Over Swati Maliwal Row
Swati Maliwal was allegedly assaulted by Bibhav Kumar at the Chief Minister’s residence in Delhi’s Civil Lines area on Monday. According to the AAP’s Sanjay Singh – who on Tuesday confirmed the “distressing incident” – she was waiting to meet the Chief Minister when Mr Kumar “misbehaved” with her.
Delhi Police confirmed they received two calls from an unknown person within Arvind Kejriwal’s residence – but from a phone number registered to Ms Maliwal – alerting them to the harassment.
Ms Maliwal later appeared at a police station in the area but left without filing a complaint.
READ | Kejriwal Office Staffer “Misbehaved” With Swati Maliwal: AAP Leader
The attack on Ms Maliwal led to the BJP unleashing a flood of counter-attacks on AAP and Mr Kejriwal, who was released on bail last week – so he might campaign for his party in the ongoing general election – after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in March in the liquor policy case.
The BJP has said Mr Kejriwal – who faces fresh demands to resign – is shielding his aide. Those accusations gathered steam today after he seemed to avoid reporters’ questions on this topic.
It was Mr Singh – also out on bail in the liquor policy case – who quickly answered on the Chief Minister’s behalf. The Rajya Sabha MP demanded the BJP answer questions about crimes against women in Manipur and allegations of sex crimes against ally and JDS MP Prajwal Revanna.
READ | Kejriwal Dodges Questions On Swati Maliwal Row, AAP Leader Replies
On Tuesday Mr Singh called the incident “shameful” and said Arvind Kejriwal had “taken cognisance and called for strictest possible action” against his aide. He decried “political games” and said the party stands by Ms Maliwal, whom he called “one of the AAP’s oldest and senior-most leaders”.
#WATCH | Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva says, “We know that Vibhav Kumar is Arvind Kejriwal’s associate and handles all his work…Who insighted him? Who gave him the directions? All this should be investigated…It would have been better if Sanjay Singh himself went to… https://t.co/j1M6uh6vDSpic.twitter.com/GnnguiItwR
— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2024
Mr Singh’s statement was attacked swiftly by the BJP. The party’s Delhi boss, Virendra Sachdeva, said, “Why were they silent for 36 hours? Where was the Chief Minister? A Rajya Sabha MP… a woman… was misbehaved with at Mr Kejriwal’s home and you are taking cognisance only now?”
The BJP’s Arvinder Singh Lovely, a recent recruit from the Congress, declared, “If Swati Maliwal has been treated like this… it is condemnable and shameful. Those who talk about guarantees cannot guarantee women’s safety in their own homes. This raises questions on the administration.”
The row over the alleged assault on Ms Maliwal has also prompted the AAP’s ally, the Congress, to react.
READ | Priyanka Gandhi’s Guarded Response On Swati Maliwal Assault Case
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “I always stand with women, irrespective of which party they belong to”, but then left further action to be taken to the discretion of the AAP.
The AAP is part of the Congress-led INDIA opposition bloc, which was formed to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha election. Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha seats will vote in the fifth phase of the election – on May 25. In the last election, the BJP won all seven.
With input from agencies
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