Swati Maliwal assault: Police seize video recording from CM residence

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on May 19 said the Delhi Police has seized the DVR of CCTV cameras installed inside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in connection with its probe into the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal and accused the cops of planting stories to tarnish the party’s image ahead of the elections. 

Maliwal, who was allegedly assaulted by Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar on May 13 at the CM's New Delhi residence, has accused AAP of tampering with the CCTV footage.

Kumar was arrested on Saturday and produced in a court which remanded him in five-day police custody. Sources said Kumar was evasive in his replies during his interrogation. 

The Delhi Police booked Kumar for molestation and attempted culpable homicide after Maliwal's complaint. 

The FIR includes charges under sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354(B) (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code at the Civil Lines police station. 

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said the police have already seized the DVR (digital video recorder) of CCTV cameras. 

“Yesterday (Saturday), they seized the DVR of cameras installed at the entry gates, boundary walls and today (Sunday), they seized the DVR of cameras installed in other parts of the house. The police are planting stories that the CCTV (camera) footage has been deleted but they have already seized it,” he claimed.

Bharadwaj said the CCTV cameras and the footage captured are maintained by the Public Works Department (PWD) and are in its custody. 

He also raised questions over the sequence of events in the case. 

“The call was made by Swati Maliwal on May 13 and, within no time, the image of the daily diary entry in the matter was all over the media. The FIR in the case has been registered under Section 354 (B), which is a sensitive matter that pertains to a woman, but the FIR was circulated everywhere. However, Bibhav Kumar, the accused, and AAP did not have a copy of the FIR,” he added. 

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said Kejriwal should not indulge in theatrics and instead break his "silence" on the alleged assault on Maliwal. 

The reaction came after Kejriwal and his party workers and leaders held a massive protest near the BJP headquarters against Kumar's arrest in connection with the case. 

"Kejriwal should break his silence instead of his 'dramebazi (theatrics)' and answer specific questions," Shehzad Poonawalla, the BJP's national spokesperson, said in a post on X. 

The BJP leader asked Kejriwal if he had ordered the "attack" on Maliwal at the chief minister's residence and gave patronage to Kumar because he knows his "dark secrets." 

"Why is the CCTV (camera) footage missing? Did Kejriwal help Bibhav to destroy/tamper evidence, including CCTV (camera) footage from Shoshan Mahal (Kejriwal's residence)? Why release small clips and not full CCTV (camera) footage?" he said in the post. 

"Why U-turn from what Sanjay Singh said 96 hours ago and why victim-shaming now by AAP?" the BJP leader asked. 

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, party MP Manoj Tiwari, who is seeking reelection from North East Delhi, alleged that Kejriwal held the protest to save Kumar. 

"Why is Arvind Kejriwal not saying anything on the Swati Maliwal case and speaking in favor of Bibhav Kumar, who is accused of beating her up? Why is he trying to save Bibhav Kumar? What is his compulsion?" Tiwari asked.

"Protesting in favor of the person who beat up a woman. What disgusting thinking. Everyone in Delhi is surprised and shocked," he charged. 

Tiwari also said Maliwal suffered serious injuries, according to her medical report, and sought to counter AAP's allegation that the BJP has come out in her support for political reasons. 

The BJP is speaking for Maliwal because she is a woman and the party cannot be a mute spectator to atrocities against women, he said and accused AAP of levelling baseless allegations against the saffron party's involvement in the matter.

Tiwari alleged that Kejriwal's "criminal face" has come out in the open with the Maliwal assault case and said the strictest action should be taken against those involved in the case, in accordance with the law.

(PTI News Syndicate)