Breaking the silence on the alleged ‘assault’ at the Chief Minister’s residence in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party MP Swati Maliwal filed a complaint against Arvind Kejriwal’s close aide Bibhav Kumar on May 16. The complaint came after the Delhi Police visited Maliwal’s house to inquire about the incident. In her 7-page complaint, Maliwal made startling revelations and serious allegations.
She claimed that Kejriwal’s former PA, Bibhav Kumar, slapped her at least 5-6 times, including assaulting her chest, stomach, and lower body.
The Delhi Police has filed an FIR based on Maliwal’s complaint, naming Bibhav Kumar as the accused. He has been booked under IPC sections 354 (assault on a woman), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (act of insult), and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt).
The police took Swati Maliwal to AIIMS hospital for a medical examination.
A two-member team, led by Additional Commissioner of Police P. S. Kushwaha, recorded Maliwal’s statement at around 1:50 pm on May 16.
According to her statement, Maliwal was sitting in Arvind Kejriwal’s drawing room when Bibhav Kumar barged in and assaulted her. She claimed, per PTI, that Kejriwal was present in the house.
After recording her statement, Maliwal posted on X that what happened to her was extremely bad and appropriate action was being taken. She also urged the BJP not to politicise the matter. “Those who tried to indulge in character assassination, saying that I was acting on behalf of the other party, God bless them too,” she added.
“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,” she added.
The role of other party members or residents of the CM’s house will become clear as the investigation proceeds.
Swati Maliwal, the former chief of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), accused Bibhav Kumar, the former personal secretary of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, of assaulting her at the CM’s residence earlier this week. Although initially silent, the AAP later vowed to take stringent action against the accused. AAP leader Sanjay Singh informed the media that CM Kejriwal had taken cognizance of the matter.
However, on May 16, during a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, Kejriwal shifted the microphone towards Yadav when a media person asked about Maliwal. Yadav ignored the question, stating, “There are other important issues to be discussed.”
Sanjay Singh eventually attempted to address the question but, instead of clarifying their stance on Maliwal’s case and Bibhav’s position within the party, he shifted focus to questioning the BJP on issues related to Manipur and other matters.
“Aam Aadmi Party is our family. The party has taken a clear stand on this issue…Can they answer the case of Swati Maliwal, when she went to fight for justice for women wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, they made the police drag and beat her up. Don’t play political games on this,” Singh said speaking to reporters.
Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that Bibhav Kumar was seen with Arvind Kejriwal in Lucknow and called the Delhi CM a goon.
The National Commission for Women has summoned Bibhav Kumar.
ANI reported that the Delhi Police Special Cell and Crime Branch teams have been deployed to arrest Kejriwal’s aide.
“In the case of Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, after the press conference of AAP leader Sanjay Singh, it has been confirmed that an unpleasant incident occurred with Swati Maliwal at the CM residence, and her party stands strongly with her. Swati Maliwal is a strong and aware woman, and I am confident that she will come forward, take the legal route, and fight for justice,” Alka Lamba said.
Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday commented on the alleged assault on Swati Maliwal, saying her party stands with women against any atrocity.
Speaking to ANI while on the campaign trail in Raebareli, Priyanka Gandhi said, “If any atrocity happens to any woman anywhere, we stand with the woman. I always stand with women—irrespective of which party they belong to. Secondly, AAP will discuss among themselves and make a decision. It is up to them.”
