New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal alleged Monday that she was ‘assaulted’ at the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by “his PA” in Civil Lines.
Last month, Delhi government’s Directorate of Vigilance had sacked Bibhav Kumar — the “PA” named by Maliwal — from the position of Kejriwal’s personal secretary in connection with a 2007 case in which he was accused of using “criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty”. He has also been questioned by the ED in the excise case.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), North district, Manoj Kumar Meena, told the media that the call was received at 9.34 a.m. at the Civil Lines police station.
“A PCR call at 9:34 a.m. was received at Civil Lines police station from MP Swati Maliwal saying she had been assaulted at the chief minister’s house. After some time, the MP came to the police station. (But) she left the police station without giving any complaint. In this matter till now, no complaint has been made,” DCP Meena said.
The development has come at a time when the embattled AAP has been attempting to make the most of the Supreme Court’s interim bail to Kejriwal, who was arrested on 21 March in the excise policy case, by carrying out an aggressive campaign with him leading from the front.
ThePrint accessed the diary entry at the PCR where the allegation of Swati Maliwal has been recorded. “A lady caller is alleging to be present at the CM’s residence where the CM has got her beaten up by his PA Bibhav Kumar,” the Delhi Police noted the call details in the diary.
The AAP is yet to issue any formal response on the allegations. Sources in the party said that Maliwal landed up at the CM’s residence at 9 a.m. and sought an audience with him. Kejriwal usually starts holding official meetings at 10 a.m. and was “preparing to meet AAP civic councillors later in the day around that time”.
“On being stopped, she got into an altercation with the CM’s security staff,” one of the AAP sources claimed.
Calls to Maliwal went unanswered and the story will be updated as and when she responds.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) took note of the matter, saying that it would be sending a formal letter to the Delhi Police to send an Action Taken Report in three days.
MP Rajya Sabha Smt Swati Maliwal reportedly assaulted at Delhi CM’s residence. The National Commission for Women (NCW) vows action, demanding justice from Delhi Police and sending an inquiry team. Perpetrators must be held accountable. NCW will be sending a formal letter to Delhi…
— NCW (@NCWIndia) May 13, 2024
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Maliwal’s association with Kejriwal
Maliwal has been working with Kejriwal since his days as a social rights activist. A member of Kejriwal’s NGO Parivartan, Maliwal was among the most active volunteers during the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement, which is the precursor to the AAP, led by Kejriwal with Anna Hazare as its face.
Between July 2015 and January 2024, when she was elected to the Rajya Sabha, she was the chairperson of the DCW. But her prolonged absence from India, particularly during Kejriwal’s arrest and subsequent incarceration in the excise policy case, became a talking point, prompting the BJP to take swipes.
On 29 March, over a week after Kejriwal’s arrest, Maliwal, responding to BJP social media head Amit Malviya, posted on X that she was in the US for her sister’s medical treatment.
“I will fight against enemies of the country like you from the streets to the Parliament. I have been working with Arvind Kejriwal and will continue to do so till my last breath. What you are terming as a sinking ship has risen further due to your atrocities. Just like I troubled you for the last nine years from the Women’s Commission, be ready for the next six years as well!” Maliwal posted.
बस थोड़ा सा वक़्त खैर मना ले IT Cell fake news factory…बहन का इलाज पूरा हो रहा है और बहुत जल्द आ रही हूँ।
सड़क से लेकर संसद तक तुम जैसे देश के दुश्मनों से लड़ाई लड़ूँगी…और हाँ, जब तुमने बीजेपी बोलना भी नहीं सीखा था, उससे पहले से अरविंद केजरीवाल के साथ काम कर रही हूँ और मरते… https://t.co/UCOx6c4kqC
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) March 29, 2024
Even after her return towards the end of April, Maliwal did not participate in the AAP’s activities, leading to questions from many within the party. Eventually, she campaigned along with Delhi assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel, for the AAP’s east Delhi Lok Sabha candidate Kuldeep Kumar on 26 April, and a day later for the party’s west Delhi candidate Mahabal Mishra.
On 29 April, Maliwal hit the headlines again after the Delhi government’s Women and Child Development Department terminated 52 contractual employees working with the DCW for their recruitment in alleged violation of norms during her tenure as its chairperson.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva demanded “justice for Maliwal”, saying he “condemns the treatment meted out to her” at the residence of Kejriwal. He also raked up the case involving the alleged assault of former Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash at Kejriwal’s residence in 2018.
In August 2021, Kejriwal, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and nine others were exonerated in the case. However, the court had framed charges against AAP MLAs Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal for voluntarily causing hurt, assaulting and obstructing a public servant on duty in connection with the same case.
(This is an updated version of the report)
(Edited by Tony Rai)