India

‘Slapped, Hit On Stomach, Kicked’: Swati Maliwal’s FIR In Assault Case Against Kejriwal Aide

May 17, 2024

Details of an FIR emerged on Thursday after AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal spoke out about the alleged assault on her, revealing that she has recorded her statement with the Delhi Police.

This follows the recent alleged incident at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, where his close aide Bibhav Kumar reportedly “assaulted” Maliwal. In her complaint, Maliwal mentioned that she “was slapped, hit on the stomach, and kicked” by Bibhav at the Chief Minister’s residence, news agency ANI reported.

An FIR has been registered under sections 354, 506, 509, and 323 of the IPC, among other sections, for offences including assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, criminal intimidation, word gesture or acts of intent to insult and assault. After complaining to the Delhi police, Maliwal requested the Bharatiya Janata Party to not do politics over the incident.

‘What happened to me was…’

“What happened to me was very bad. I have given my statement to the police on the incident that happened to me. I hope appropriate action will be taken. The past days have been very difficult for me. I thank those who prayed. Those who tried to indulge in character assassination, said that I was doing it at the behest of the other party, God bless them too,” she said in a post on X in Hindi.

She said crucial elections are going on now, and stressed that she is not important but the issues of the country are. “There is a special request to the BJP people not to do politics on this incident,” she said in the same post. A two-member team of the Delhi Police recorded her statement Thursday at her residence in Central Delhi. According to an officer, Maliwal told police about the incident that happened at the chief minister’’s residence on Monday. The officer said with Maliwal’s statement recorded, police might register an FIR in connection with the matter.

BJP Mahila Morcha

Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha Thursday extended support to Maliwal, saying the incident affects the honour of the country’s women. In a letter to Maliwal, Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha president Richa Pandey Mishra, a former AAP leader, urged her to approach police to ensure strict action is taken against the guilty.

Maliwal on Thursday recorded her statement with police about the incident that took place on Monday morning. “The legal process is necessary to stop recurrence of such an incident,” said Mishra’s letter, lauding Maliwal as a “strong” woman leader whose voice was a “source of inspiration” to crores of women in the country. The letter assured the AAP leader of full support of the Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha.

“We laud your resolve and bravery and hope you will soon recover from this incident to discharge your responsibility to strengthen the struggle for the rights of the women in the country,” read the letter. It said the Mahila Morcha was concerned about her “physical and mental” health. “We believe you will maintain your self resolve and become a voice of the women in the country. This is not just a personal matter but related to the honour of country’s women,” it said.

The BJP Mahila Morcha was extremely concerned and disgusted by the “condemnable” incident that happened at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, it said. “Our ideologies may differ but we are with you as women,” it said and added that it was scary to think about the safety of normal women in the city when she was “misbehaved” at a safe place like the chief minster’s residence.