In what is likely to snowball into a bigger controversy in the coming days and bring out political and personal fissures out in the open, Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament and former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Swati Maliwal was allegedly assaulted by a close associate of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal when she had gone to visit him at the CM’s official residence at 6, Flagstaff Road, Civil Lines.
According to police officials, a call was received at the Police Control Room in which the caller, identifying herself as Swati Maliwal said that she was at CM’s residence and that the CM had beaten her up badly through the hands of his Personal Assistant Bibhav Kumar.
“Mei abhee CM ke ghar par hu, unhoney apne PA Bibhav Kumar se mujhe buri tarah pitwaya hai,” the statement that was recorded by the police officials manning the PCR says.
The mobile number from which the call was made belongs to Maliwal. After words, she reached the civil lines police station, ostensibly to file a FIR, but she went away after telling the staff that she will file the complaint later.
This was also confirmed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), under whose police jurisdiction the CM residence comes. ““A PCR call was received by the Civil Lines police at 9.34 am in which a woman claimed to be assaulted at the CM’s residence. After some time, the MP Madam (Maliwal) visited the Civil Lines police station. However, she left soon after saying he would file a complaint later,” DCP (North) Manoj Meena told the media.
The Daily Guardian’s repeated calls and messages to Maliwal for her statement on these developments elicited no response.
Maliwal, till 5 PM in the evening, had not released any statement in these shocking developments that have come amidst speculations that certain leaders in AAP were unhappy over Maliwal not being present in Delhi or joining the protests that the AAP had carried out when Kejriwal was arrested on 20 March for his alleged involvement in the Delhi Excise scam case. She was out of India during that time but like her party and RS colleague, Raghav Chadda, she too had voiced her support for Kejriwal on social media platform ‘X’. Chadda is yet to return from the UK.
The CM staff too did not share any response on these developments till the time the story went to press. Similarly, the AAP spokespersons too had not put out any clarification even eight hours after the incident.
Kejriwal’s PA Bibhav Kumar is often regarded as the shadow of the most powerful man of AAP. He is also facing probe from Enforcement Directorate in different cases including in the excise case and alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board. Last month the Directorate of Vigilance had terminated his services as personal secretary to the Chief Minister of Delhi.
The termination order, issued by Special Secretary Vigilance YVVJ Rajshekhar, cited a 2007 case pending against Bibhav Kumar, wherein he was accused of obstructing government work which were found to be of ‘grave in nature, including charge of assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty.’
The political crisis in AAP has happened just hours after Kejriwal was released on an interim bail till 1 June last Saturday by the Supreme Court and when the party was putting its best efforts to challenge the BJP in Delhi where the polling will be held on 25 May.
Jumping into the drama, the National Commission of Women too announced that it will be sending an inquiry team to look into the alleged assault of Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.
The NCW said it will also send a formal letter to the Delhi Police to send an action taken report (ATR) in the matter.
“MP Rajya Sabha Smt Swati Maliwal reportedly assaulted Delhi CM’s residence. The National Commission for Women (NCW) vows action, demanding justice from Delhi Police and sending an inquiry team.”Perpetrators must be held accountable. NCW will be sending a formal letter to Delhi Police to send an ATR in this matter in 3 days,” the NCW said in a post of “X”