Bibhav Kumar, Kejriwal's former aide (L) and AAP's Swati Maliwal (R).
Credit: X/@jitenderkhalsa and PTI Photo
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar has been arrested on Saturday in connection with the alleged assault of Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, two days after police registered a case against him.
Kumar was picked up from Kejriwal's official residence around noon and taken to Civil Lines Police Station where the case is registered.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha rushed to the police station soon after Kumar was taken into custody.
Maliwal had alleged that Kumar repeatedly slapped and kicked her at the Chief Minister's residence on Monday when she had gone to meet her.
However, AAP has denied the charges and alleged that she has become the face of a BJP conspiracy to target Kejriwal.
Kumar had also filed a counter complaint accusing Maliwal of trespassing and breaching security of Chief Minister's residence. However, the police have not registered any case on his complaint.
Hours before his arrest, Kumar had emailed the Station House Officer (SHO) of Civil Lines police station saying that it has come to his knowledge that an FIR has been registered against him.
He said that he was not served a notice and "categorically submits that he is willing to cooperate and join the investigations as and when called upon to do so by the Investigation Officer".
In the email, he also referred to his complaint and requested the SHO to register a case.
Earlier in the day, senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi claimed that Maliwal has become part of the “conspiracy” against Arvind Kejriwal as a case against her is near conclusion.
She alleged that Maliwal was put under pressure as part of the “BJP’s SOP” where it targets Opposition leaders with cases to pressure them to join the saffron camp.
On Thursday night, the police had registered a case against Kumar after Maliwal gave a written complaint to police on the incident on May 13 morning.
She had made a call to police alleging assault but had not filed a complaint then as she was in a "terrible state of shock at this unprovoked attack".
According to the FIR, Maliwal has said that she had gone to meet Kejriwal and went inside the residential block after she could not reach Kumar.
She sat in the drawing room and asked the staff to inform the Chief Minister about her arrival and then Kumar entered the room and allegedly started verbally abusing her.
She claimed in her complaint that Kumar started slapping her without provocation and with full force.
He allegedly slapped her 7-8 times while she screamed for help. The FIR also said Maliwal claimed that Kumar kicked her repeatedly on several parts of the body.