On Thursday, details of a First Information Report (FIR) emerged after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal revealed that she had recorded her statement with the Delhi Police regarding an alleged assault. The incident reportedly occurred at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, where Maliwal claims she was assaulted by Kejriwal’s close aide, Bibhav Kumar. According to news agency ANI, Maliwal stated in her complaint that she was “slapped, hit on the stomach, and kicked” by Kumar.
The FIR, filed under sections 354 (assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), outlines the various charges stemming from the alleged incident. Maliwal has appealed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to refrain from politicizing the situation, emphasizing the gravity of the assault over political rivalries.
“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,” Maliwal expressed in a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in Hindi.
Highlighting the ongoing crucial elections, Maliwal stressed the importance of national issues over personal ones. “There is a special request to the BJP people not to do politics on this incident,” she added. The Delhi Police recorded Maliwal’s statement at her residence in Central Delhi on Thursday, with an officer confirming that the incident took place at the Chief Minister’s residence on Monday.
In response, the Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha extended its support to Maliwal. Richa Pandey Mishra, president of the Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha and a former AAP leader, urged Maliwal in a letter to ensure strict legal action is taken against the guilty. Mishra praised Maliwal’s resilience, describing her as a “strong” woman leader and a source of inspiration to millions of women across the country. The letter assured Maliwal of the Mahila Morcha’s full support, emphasizing the broader implications of the incident for women’s safety in the country.
“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,” the letter stated. The Mahila Morcha expressed its deep concern and disgust over the incident, calling it “condemnable” and a matter of national concern regarding women’s safety, especially given that the assault allegedly occurred at the Chief Minister’s residence.
