Amid intense discussions regarding the reported assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal by a close aide of the Delhi CM, BJP leaders in the national capital have rallied behind Maliwal and called for action in response to the incident. Shazia Ilmi, a Delhi BJP leader, shared her own encounters with Kumar’s misconduct, leading to additional controversy. The Delhi police also lodged an FIR related to the alleged assault on Thursday evening, identifying the Delhi CM’s personal assistant, Bibhav Kumar.
BJP’s Shazia Ilmi said, “They are defending this for political gain. She (Swati Maliwal) has been beaten. Bibhav Kumar’s job profile is to obey Arvind Kejriwal. I have also tolerated the misbehaviour of that person. Prashant Kumar and Yogendra Yadav were also kicked out by bouncers. But this time they have crossed limits. Is beating up a woman by your PA appropriate? The police have done well. They have reached for her help.”
Additionally, she demanded Kejriwal’s resignation from the position of Chief Minister.
“Kejriwal should resign immediately. It is not right for him to maintain that chair. After getting a female colleague beaten up, he has no reason to be the CM. He should apologize and resign, and there should be immediate criminal action. No one should think that this has been done by Bibhav. All of this has been done by Arvind Kejriwal. Bibhav has done this misbehaviour on the orders of Arvind Kejriwal,” Ilmi alleged.
Delhi BJP President, Virendra Sachdeva, raised questions about Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s silence regarding the issue.
“Finally, Swati Maliwal has broken her silence and she has informed the police about this in her complaint. The police have also registered an FIR against Bibhav Kumar under sections of IPC. I want to ask only one question, Arvind Kejriwal. When such an incident happened with Swati Maliwal at your residence and you were present in the house at that time, why did you allow a woman to be tortured? Why did you not try to stop it? Why are you silent on this?” Sachdeva said.
“You should immediately hand over Bibhav to the police. The entire country, the entire society, stands with Swati Maliwal and every woman with whom such an incident happens,” he added.
Reacting to the incident, BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that Swati Maliwal had reported the misconduct done to her. However, he expressed shock that Arvind Kejriwal, who advocates for women’s rights, has yet to take any action against Bibhav Kumar.
On Thursday, the Civil Lines Police registered a case under sections 354, 506, 509, and 323, among other IPC sections. These include offenses such as assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, criminal intimidation, gestures or acts intended to insult, and assault.
The action was initiated following a formal complaint filed by Swati Maliwal on Thursday. In her complaint, Maliwal alleges that she was “slapped, hit on the stomach, and kicked” by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s PA, Bibhav Kumar.
After the incident, Maliwal was transported to AIIMS Delhi on Thursday night. Sources indicate that the AAP MP arrived there for a medical examination. She was observed leaving the AIIMS hospital around 03:40 am.
In response to the situation, Special Cell and Crime Branch teams have been mobilized to apprehend the accused. Sources mention that efforts are underway to track his whereabouts, with multiple teams from the Delhi Police engaged in the operation.