Arvind Kejriwal.
Credit: X/@AamAadmiParty
With his aide Bibhav Kumar in custody, Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to jail all leaders at one go and announced that he along with other AAP leaders will march to BJP headquarters around noon on Sunday where "the PM could choose anyone he wants or all of them to arrest".
“The AAP is an idea. For as many AAP leaders you jail, the country would produce leaders a hundred times more…Tomorrow noon, I along with all MLAs, MPs and senior leaders are coming to BJP headquarters. You choose who you want to arrest. Or all of us. Do you think you can crush AAP? Just try and see,” Kejriwal said in a digital address.
AAP also stepped up the attack on the BJP after Kumar’s anticipatory bail was rejected after police informed the court about his arrest. Delhi Minister Atishi said the hearing was scheduled at 3:55 PM but 20 minutes into the hearing, police told the court that Kumar was arrested.
“After they knew that their fake case wouldn't stand…they told the court 20 minutes into the hearing that Bibhav Kumar has been arrested,” she said.
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 of Civil Lines police station saying that it has come to his knowledge that an FIR has been registered against him.
He said 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 AAP 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.
Police had on Thursday night 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.