"Slapped 7-8 times, kicked in chest, stomach": Swati Maliwal in FIR

Mangalore Today News Network/NDTV

New Delhi, May 17, 2024: Slapped, dragged and kicked in the chest - AAP leader Swati Maliwal’s complaint against Bibhav Kumar, an aide of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, raises serious charges of assault. Ms Maliwal claims that on Monday morning, she was assaulted by Mr Kumar in the drawing room of the Chief Minister’s official residence, with Mr Kejriwal present in the house at the time.

 

In the FIR filed last night, Ms Maliwal said she arrived at Arvind Kejriwal’s home at 6, Flag Staff Road, Civil Lines and attempted to contact the chief minister’s aide but received no response. She said she informed the staff of her presence and was asked to wait in the drawing room.

She alleged that while she was waiting, Bibhav Kumar burst into the room and started verbally abusing her. Ms Maliwal gave harrowing details, accusing Mr Kumar of slapping her seven-eight times on the face and hitting her chest, stomach, and sensitive parts. "Bibhav came and started abusing and kept slapping without provocation," Ms Maliwal claimed in her complaint. "I made noise and said ’Let me go’, but he kept beating me continuously and abusing me in Hindi. He threatened, ’We will see, we will deal with it’. I informed him that I was menstruating and in considerable pain, begging him to leave me alone."

"I felt absolutely shocked and was screaming for help over and over again. In order to protect myself, I pushed him away with my legs. At that time, he pounced on me, brutally dragged and deliberately pulled my shirt up," the FIR reads. "Bibhav Kumar did not relent and attacked me by kicking me in my chest, stomach and pelvis area with his legs."

Ms Maliwal added in her complaint that she managed to run out of the house and call the police.

"I was in a terrible state of shock at this attack. I was deeply traumatised and called the 112 number and reported the incident," Mr Maliwal stated in the FIR.

When the security personnel arrived, instead of assisting Ms Maliwal, they allegedly followed Mr Kumar’s instruction to throw her out. Despite her condition, she was forced to leave and wait outside the Chief Minister’s residence until the police arrived.

"Bibhav came back with the security personnel working at the main gate. I kept telling them that I was brutally beaten up and they should look at my condition and wait until the police comes but they asked me to leave the premises," Ms Maliwal’s statement reads.

Late last night, Delhi Police escorted Ms Maliwal to the AIIMS Trauma Centre for a medical checkup. When the police reached Mr Kumar’s residence in the Chandrawal Nagar area of the national capital, he was missing. Teams from the Crime Branch and Special Cell are looking for Mr Kumar, aiming to bring him into custody.

The Delhi Police registered an FIR under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, criminal intimidation, insulting modesty, and assault. The FIR was filed after Ms Maliwal’s statement was recorded by a police team led by Additional Commissioner PS Kushwaha.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has stepped into the controversy, summoning Mr Kumar for a hearing today.

Following the police visit, Ms Maliwal posted on social media about the distressing experience and appealed against politicising the issue.

"What happened to me was very bad. I have given my statement to the police on the incident that happened to me. 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 I was doing it on the instructions of a party. May God keep them happy too. An important election is underway 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," Ms Maliwal posted last night.

The incident has triggered a political storm. The BJP has heavily criticised Mr Kejriwal for his silence, with its spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia even going as far as labelling Mr Kejriwal the "main criminal" due to his apparent inaction during the assault.

Mr Kejriwal deflected questions regarding the incident during a press conference in Lucknow yesterday, where he appeared alongside Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and AAP MP Sanjay Singh. Mr Singh, addressing the press, acknowledged Mr Kumar’s misconduct and deflected criticism towards the BJP, demanding accountability for various women’s issues under their governance.

The Congress, allied with AAP in the opposition INDIA bloc for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, echoed similar calls.