Swati Maliwal files complaint with Delhi Police over assault by CM's aide, says 'request BJP to not politicise incident'

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Thursday filed an FIR against Bibhav Kumar, personal assistant of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal following a complaint filed AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal with the Delhi Police alleging assault.

The Delhi Police filed and FIR against Bibhav applying sections related to assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage modesty of woman and criminal intimidation.

After filing a written complaint, the former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women said that she hopes “appropriate action” will be taken and that BJP “does not do politics on the matter”.

“What happened to me was very bad. I have given my statement to the police on the incident … I hope that appropriate action will be taken. The last few days have been very difficult for me. I thank those who prayed for me. Those who tried to do character assassination, said that she was doing it on the instructions of the other party, may God keep them happy too. 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 the BJP to not do politics on this incident,” Maliwal wrote on X, her first public comment on the matter.

A team of the Delhi Police on Thursday had reached Maliwal’s residence to investigate the case. Senior officials including an ACP rank officer were present at her residence for more than three hours after which she decided to file a written complaint.

National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma extended her support to Maliwal. “Well done @SwatiJaiHind. We must rise our voice against the perpetrators (sic),” Sharma wrote.

Earlier in the day, the National Commission for Women, taking suo motu cognisance of the case of assault on Maliwal, has summoned accused Bibhav to present himself in front of the Commission on Friday. Additionally, the Delhi Police had dispatched a team to Maliwal’s house on Thursday. No case has yet been registered in the matter.

The Commission said that it took cognisance of the matter through a media post. “DCW chief Swati Maliwal accuses Arvind Kejriwal’s personal secretary of assaulting her”. “The post reported that Ms. Swati Maliwal, RS MP and former DCW chief, has alleged that the Private Secretary of Chief Minister of Delhi had brutally assaulted her at the Chief Minister’s residence. In view of the above, the Commission has scheduled a hearing in this matter on May 17, 2024, at 11 AM. All concerned parties are required to appear before the Commission in person,” the NCW said in a release.

In Lucknow, in a joint press conference of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, senior AAP leader Sanjau Singh said that political games are being played on the matter.

“When women wrestlers were sitting at Jantar Mantar, seeking justice, Swati Maliwal had gone there as the DCW chief in the evening to express solidarity, but the police dragged her and beat her… The AAP is our family. The party has made its position clear… Don’t play political games on this issue,” Singh said.

He also spoke of the wife of the Indian Army soldier who was paraded naked in Manipur last year, the victims of the JD(S) Lok Sabha candidate Prajwal Revanna, and the Kuldeep Sengar case in Hathras. “The PM remains silent,” he said.

On Monday morning, Maliwal went to the Civil Lines police station accusing a member of Kejriwal’s personal staff of “assaulting” her at the chief minister’s official residence. Maliwal had also made two calls to the police PCR, identifying herself and accusing the Chief Minister’s PA Bibhav of assaulting her. Maliwal has not filed a formal complaint and she is yet to make any public statement on the matter. Addressing the matter, Singh said that the incident was “highly condemnable”.