New Delhi: Rejecting the allegations made by its party's Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal in the assault case, Aam Aadmi Party on Friday said that Maliwal was sent to the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence by Bharatiya Janata Party as a part of a conspiracy so that "false accusations" can be levelled against AAP chief.
Addressing a press conference, Delhi Minister Atishi called Swati Maliwal the "face and pawn" of BJP's conspiracy. Senior AAP leader said that Arvind Kejriwal got saved from this conspiracy as he was not present at the CM's residence when the incident occurred.
"Ever since Arvind Kejriwal has got bail, the BJP is rattled. Due to this, the BJP hatched a conspiracy, under which Swati Maliwal was sent to Arvind Kejriwal's house on the morning of May 13. Swati Maliwal was the face and pawn of this conspiracy. She went there unannounced without an appointment. They intended to accuse the CM but the CM was not there at that time and he got saved," Atishi said.
Atishi further said that the video that has surfaced clearly suggests that accusations made by Maliwal are false and former Delhi Commission Women chief can be seen threatening police officials at the residence.
"After that, Swati Maliwal accused Bibhav Kumar. In her complaint to the police, she said she was assaulted. The video which has come out today shows her sitting comfortably in the drawing room (of the CM house) and threatening the police officials. She was also seen threatening Bibhav Kumar and using abusive language in the video. Neither her clothes were torn nor any injury on her head can be seen in the video," she said.
Atishi further said that Bibhav Kumar has also registered a police complaint against Swati Maliwal. Delhi minister further gave a detailed sequence of events that happened on the day of the incident.
"In his complaint, he has put up a sequence of events. Swati Maliwal without any appointment reached CM's residence. When she was stopped and asked about the details of her visit she said that there was a prior appointment with CM. When security cross-checked her claims then it was found that there was no prior appointment. After which, Maliwal started threatening police officials and said that she being a Rajya Sabha MP can take away their jobs. She was made to sit in a waiting room and was told that she could not meet CM," Atishi said.
"Then she forcibly entered the main building of the CM house and sat in the drawing room. What was the reason she forcibly entered the CM's house? Then residence staff called Bibhav Kumar. Kumar told him that CM won't be able to meet you. Maliwal started shouting at him and she wanted to enter the other main parts of the residence to which Bibhav did not give permission. Maliwal started pushing him aside. Later, Bibhav Kumar called CM's security and asked them to escort her. This was a BJP's conspiracy," she added.
On the remarks made by AAP leader Sanjay Singh at a recent press conference that their party is with Swati Maliwal, Atishi said that at that point Singh was only aware of Maliwal's side.
"Till that point, Sanjay Singh was only aware about Swati Maliwal's side. Now he got to know about the Bibhav Kumar's side. The video which has surfaced clearly shows that what Maliwal mentioned in FIR are just mere false accusations. Her lies have come out in front of the whole country," she said.
Delhi's Tis Hazari court on Friday recorded the statement of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal in an assault case. An FIR has been lodged against Bibhav Kumar and other persons on her complaint.
Metropolitan Magistrate Katyayni Sharma Kandwal recorded Swati Maliwal's Statement under section 164 Crpc. Maliwal reached Tis Hazari Court in police Security around 12 noon on Friday. Thereafter her statement was recorded by the magistrate.
After recording her statement before the magistrate in the national capital's Tis Hazari court Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal came up with a post slamming an anonymous person and referring to them as a "political hitman" said he has started efforts to save himself.
"Like every time, this time also 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 by committing this crime," alleged Maliwal in a post on X."Who makes a video of someone being beaten up? The truth will be revealed to everyone as soon as the CCTV footage of the house and the room is checked. Fall to whatever level you can, God is watching everything. One day everyone's truth will come out in front of the world," she added in her post.
Maliwal was referring to a short video clip purportedly showing her and security personnel at the residence of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on May 13. The clip that has now gone viral on social media is yet to be authenticated.
Delhi Police said that the video has come to their knowledge but it is yet to be verified. Maliwal described the events of May 13 when she went to the Civil Lines residence of Chief Minister Kejriwal, the FIR mentioned.
In a post on X, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said that Maliwal can be seen threatening police officials and Bibhav Kumar in the video that has surfaced.
"Some things can be understood by watching this video of May 13 - 1. The woman is saying that she has called the police, which means that the so-called assault has already taken place. 2. The officers in the Safari are Delhi Police officers on security duty. She does not tell them even once that she has been beaten up badly. 3. Today, the video of May 17 shows that she is not able to walk properly. But even immediately after the so-called serious injuries, in this video she is comfortably sitting on the sofa and dialling the phone. She is threatening the police and Bibhav with great enthusiasm. 4. On May 13, medical examination was not done even on the request of police. I hope more CCTV videos will come out and everyone will know the truth," Bharadwaj said.
The FIR was filed under IPC Sections 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 354B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).
