In a new twist to the Swati Maliwal assault case, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP has alleged tampering with the CCTV cameras at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. The claims were made by Maliwal, the former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), in a post on the microblogging site X on Friday evening.
“I have received information that now these people are tampering with the CCTV of the house,” Maliwal tweeted, tagging the Delhi Police in her post.
On Friday evening, a team from Delhi Police, led by Additional DCP of Delhi North, Civil Lines Police Station SHO, and forensic officials, arrived at the Chief Minister’s residence for a scene recreation. Maliwal was also present as part of the investigation into her assault allegations. The police team concluded their work at around 2:15 AM on Saturday after conducting videography of the premises.
This development follows a written complaint by Delhi CM Kejriwal’s aide, Bibhav Kumar, accusing Maliwal of unauthorized entry, verbal abuse, and threats. Kumar also suggested a possible Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) involvement in the matter. Kumar’s complaint was submitted to the Civil Lines Police Station on Friday, urging legal action against Maliwal and an investigation into her alleged ties with BJP leaders, hinting at political motives behind the incident amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Notably, Bibhav Kumar had his services terminated last month by the Vigilance Department over a pending criminal case. The complaint against Maliwal has intensified the row, with AAP sharing a purported video clip from the CM’s residence, allegedly taken on the day of the incident, showing Maliwal in a heated exchange with security personnel. The video was shared by a news channel and AAP, captioned “Swati Maliwal ka sach (Swati Maliwal’s truth).”
This marks the first time AAP has publicly opposed Maliwal in the case, contradicting AAP MP Sanjay Singh’s earlier statement that Kejriwal had taken cognizance of the incident and directed strict action, expressing the party’s support for Maliwal.
Maliwal had filed a complaint with the Delhi Police on Thursday, alleging that Bibhav Kumar assaulted her by slapping her multiple times and dragging her while kicking her in the chest, stomach, and pelvis. Based on her complaint, the Delhi Police registered an FIR under IPC Sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354B (assault with intent to disrobe), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman).
The controversy escalated further after AAP leader Atishi, in a press conference, termed Maliwal’s visit to Kejriwal’s residence as part of a conspiracy. Maliwal responded by accusing AAP of character assassination and protecting a “Gunda” (hitman), highlighting her long association with the party and criticizing the recent stance of “kal ke aaye neta” (leaders who joined the party recently).
Delhi’s Tis Hazari court recorded Maliwal’s statement in the assault case on Friday, as the investigation continues to unfold.
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