Swati Maliwal assault case: AAP alleges BJP conspiracy to frame Delhi CM after video from his residence surfaces

Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi on Friday alleged that the whole Swati Maliwal fiasco has been orchestrated by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) to frame Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, after a video from Kejriwal's residence emerged where Maliwal is seen shouting at security officials. 

In a twist of events in AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal’s alleged assault incident at Delhi CM’s residence, a video is doing the rounds online, in which it is seen that Maliwal is threatening Kejriwal’s PA Bibhav Kumar on whom she had levelled charges of assault.

In a press conference held by AAP, Atishi claimed that Maliwal reached the CM's residence on Monday morning without an appointment as her intention was to level allegations against the Delhi CM.

Citing the video, Atishi said that Maliwal’s charges are baseless. Meanwhile, Kumar has filed a complaint against Maliwal.

Atishi said that Maliwal insisted on meeting Kejriwal, despite Kumar telling her that the CM was busy. She shouted and tried to barge in, claimed Atishi. 

According to an NDTV report, the 52-second video that emerged on Friday, showed Maliwal briefly, where she is heard arguing with and shouting at, security officials who told her to leave the building.

Maliwal, while reacting to the video said that "political hitman" - a remark seen by many as aimed at Kejriwal - had directed "his people" to share the video in question to build a narrative to defend the party and "save himself (after) committing this crime".

"Like every time... this political hitman has started efforts to save himself. By getting his people to tweet and play videos without any context, he thinks he can save himself (after) committing this crime,” she said in a post on X.

On Thursday, Maliwal, filed a complaint with Delhi police, based on which, a case was lodged against Kumar under sections 354, 506, 509, and 323, among other IPC sections, for offenses 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. 

Kumar was also summoned by the National Commission for Women (NCW) today by 11 am, but he failed to appear. NCW chief Rekha Sharma said a team of the commission went to Kumar's residence on Thursday to serve him a notice but he was not home and his wife refused to receive the notice. 

"My team has gone to his residence again today with police and if he does not appear (before NCW) by tomorrow, then we will go personally to inquire," Sharma told reporters on Friday.

In the FIR, Maliwal alleged that she was slapped 7-8 times, dragged and kicked in the chest by Kumar. The former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief in her complaint claimed that on Monday morning she was assaulted by Kumar in the drawing room of Kejriwal's official residence, with the Chief Minister present in the house at the time.

She also detailed a harrowing account in the FIR, accusing Kumar of slapping her 7-8 times on the face and hitting her chest, stomach, and sensitive parts. 

"Bibhav came and started abusing and kept slapping without provocation. I made noise and said 'Let me go', but he kept beating me continuously and abusing me in Hindi,” she said in the FIR as reported by NDTV.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police today, took Maliwal to Kejriwal's residence, to recreate the crime scene as part of its investigation into the alleged assault on her there earlier this week, officials said, as reported by PTI.

Earlier in the day, her statement regarding the case was recorded before a magistrate at the Tis Hazari court.