Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has finally addressed the Swati Maliwal assault case. In a video statement, Kejriwal commented following the detention of his personal assistant, Bibhav Kumar, by Delhi police. This development occurred a day after AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal filed a formal complaint against Kumar, alleging that he assaulted her on morning the morning of May 13 at Kejriwal’s residence when she went to meet the Chief Minister.
Echoing the party’s stance on the matter, Kejriwal accused the BJP of orchestrating Kumar’s arrest. He asserted that the Modi government is targeting AAP leaders, referencing multiple arrests of party members, including his own, in various corruption cases. Kejriwal reiterated his belief that these arrests are politically motivated, aiming to disrupt the successful governance of AAP in Delhi, particularly in sectors such as education, health, and power. He alleged that the BJP, unable to match these achievements, seeks to hinder AAP’s progress by incarcerating its leaders.
Kejriwal made a notable announcement, declaring that he, along with senior AAP leaders including MPs and MLAs, will visit the BJP headquarters at 12 PM tomorrow, Sunday. He challenged the BJP, saying they could arrest anyone or everyone as they wished, but AAP would not be subdued. “You think you can crush AAP by putting AAP leaders in jail. AAP will not be crushed like this; you try it. Aam Aadmi Party is a thought that has made its way into the hearts of everyone in the country,” Kejriwal stated.
Simultaneously, Bibhav Kumar has lodged a counter-complaint against Swati Maliwal, accusing her of “forcefully and illegally trespassing” into the CM’s residence despite objections from security and staff. Kumar denied the assault allegations, claiming that Maliwal pushed him when he prevented her from entering the residential quarters. He alleged that Maliwal shouted, screamed, hurled abuses, and challenged the authority of the security personnel, stating in his complaint, “Her motives were suspect, and she intended to harm the Hon’ble CM.”
The incident stemmed from Maliwal’s attempt to meet Arvind Kejriwal on Monday morning without an appointment. It remains unclear why she sought the meeting and why the CM refused to see her, leading to her being expelled from the CM’s official residence.
Despite this internal conflict, AAP continues to direct its criticism at the BJP. Following his detention, Bibhav Kumar was formally arrested by Delhi Police. Kumar had sought anticipatory bail after his detention, but his request was denied by the court.
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