New Delhi: In relation to the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, the Delhi Police have filed a formal complaint against Bibhav Kumar, the chief minister's aide, alleging that she was "kicked on the chest, stomach, and pelvis area," slapped seven or eight times, and threatened with severe repercussions.
Maliwal contacted and messaged Kumar on May 13 when she went to Kejriwal's camp office at his Civil Lines home, but she was unable to get through to him, according to the FIR. It claims that as she waited for the chief minister in the drawing room, Kumar "suddenly barged in, screamed at her without provocation and abused her" and proceeded to allegedly attack her.
She entered the residential area "through the main door, as she has always done in the past year," and informed the CM's staff that she was there to meet him, according to the FIR based on Maliwal's complaint, which was filed on Thursday, three days after the incident, Indian Express reported.
She was instructed to wait in the drawing room and informed that the CM was "present in the house." After that, a staff member informed her that the CM would be coming over to see her, according to the FIR.
“PS of CM, Bibhav Kumar barged in suddenly… he started screaming without provocation and abused me… he slapped me 7 to 8 times while I continued screaming… I was screaming for help again and again but no one came,” the FIR states.
When Maliwal called the police PCR line, 112, she claimed that Kumar threatened to harm her. After leaving the room, he returned with security personnel in tow, who at his command "asked me to leave the premises." Following the incident, Maliwal said that she went to her former home in Civil Lines with a few police officers who had visited the chief minister's residence.
Police then arranged an auto to transport her home, but she chose to proceed to Civil Lines Police Station to report the incident. According to the FIR, she told the SHO about the event, but because she was in pain, she left the station without making a formal report.
The FIR states, “He (Kumar) pounced on me… brutally dragged and deliberately pulled my shirt up… I hit my head on the centre table… he kicked me on my chest, stomach and pelvis area… I told him that I was on my periods but he continued to attack me with full force again and again.”
In a post on X on Friday, after purported visuals from the CM’s house appeared in the media, Maliwal hit out at Kumar and wrote: “Like every time, this political hitman has started making efforts to save himself. By getting his people to tweet (in his support) and playing videos without any context, he thinks he can save himself after committing this crime. 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.”
Kumar has been charged under IPC sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult a woman's modesty), and 323 (voluntarily causing harm).
In order to get Maliwal's statement, Additional DCP 2 (North) Anjitha Chepyala and Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Khushwaha visited her home on Minto Road on Thursday. Maliwal was transported to AIIMS later that evening for a medical examination.
Kumar and the AAP did not reply to queries for comments on the development.