New Delhi: Breaking his silence on the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal at his residence, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday said he wants justice to be served in the matter after a fair investigation.
Maliwal shot back, saying she has no faith in Kejriwal’s words as she has been at the receiving end of attacks by AAP leaders and volunteers who have already declared her a “BJP agent”.
In an interview to PTI, AAP national convenor Kejriwal said the issue involving Maliwal’s allegation that she was beaten up by his personal aide Bibhav Kumar was “sub-judice” and his comment might affect the proceedings.
“But I expect there will be a fair investigation. Justice should be served. There are two versions of the event. Police should investigate both versions fairly and justice should be done,” Kejriwal, out on bail till 1 June, told PTI.
Maliwal was quick to hit back, pointing out that the AAP had already indulged in her character assassination.
“After unleashing the entire army of leaders and volunteers at me, calling me a BJP agent, assassinating my character, leaking edited videos, victim-shaming me, roaming around with the accused, letting him re-enter the crime scene and tamper with evidence and protesting in favour of the accused, the chief minister, in whose drawing room I was beaten up, has finally said that he wants free and fair investigation in the matter. Irony died a thousand deaths. I don’t buy this one bit,” she wrote on X.
Controversy erupted on 13 May when Maliwal dialled the Delhi Police control room alleging assault at Kejriwal’s official residence in Civil Lines by Kumar, who was Kejriwal’s personal assistant till April. Kumar is currently in Delhi Police custody, having been arrested on 18 May.
Initially, the AAP sought to resolve the matter internally.
On 14 May, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh held a press conference, where he said that Kumar ‘misbehaved’ with Maliwal and action will be taken against him, as Kejriwal has taken a strong view on the matter.
Soon after, Kumar was seen accompanying Kejriwal to Lucknow.
Sources close to Maliwal said this left her seething and prompted her to lodge a formal complaint against Kumar on 16 May.
On 17 May, the AAP came out all guns blazing against Maliwal, a long-time associate of Kejriwal since his days in activism, claiming she was being ‘handled’ by the BJP. Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi claimed the entire episode was ‘scripted’ by the BJP, which used Maliwal to execute it.
She also claimed that Maliwal was doing it to avoid being implicated in an alleged recruitment scam in the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), which she headed between 2015 and January this year.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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