Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal criticised the arrest of his aide Bibhav Kumar, in connection with the alleged assault allegations levelled by his party’s Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. In a video statement on Saturday, Kejriwal accused the central government of targeting his party and announced a protest at the BJP headquarters on May 19. It is to be noted that Kejriwal did not mention Swati Maliwal in his video message.
“You can see how they are after AAP. They first put Manish Sisodia in jail, then they went behind me, and now my PA,” the Delhi CM said.
“I would like to tell the Prime Minister – you are playing this ‘jail ka khel’…Tomorrow, I am coming to the BJP HQ with all my top leaders, MLAs, MPs at 12 noon. You can put in jail whoever you want,” the Delhi CM said.
#WATCH | Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal says, “You can see how they are after AAP…I would like to tell the Prime Minister – you are playing this ‘jail ka khel’…Tomorrow, I am coming to the BJP HQ with all my top leaders, MLAs, MPs at 12 noon. You can put… pic.twitter.com/xL8dU8GMRJ
— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2024
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar was arrested Saturday in connection with the alleged assault on AAP MP Swati Maliwal. The Aam Aadmi Party, in response, claimed she was “blackmailed” by the BJP as she faces a corruption case.
Kumar was apprehended from the chief minister’s residence by a Delhi Police team. This comes a day after Maliwal recorded her statement before a magistrate at the Tis Hazari court.
Maliwal had alleged that the Kumar attacked her with full force, slapping her in the face and kicking her in the chest and abdomen on May 13 when she had arrived at the CM’s residence to meet Arvind Kejriwal.
The Police has recorded the statement of at least 10 people, including security personnel and other staff at the CM’s residence, who were present at the time of the alleged assault on May 13.
Earlier in the day, Bibhav wrote to police that he is willing to cooperate in their investigation, but they should also consider his complaint against AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP.
On Friday, Kumar had filed a police complaint, alleging Maliwal breached the security of the CM’s residence to “gain unauthorised entry” on May 13 and created a ruckus there.
The CM’s aide also alleged that when he tried to stop her she hurled abuses at him.
Senior AAP leader Atishi addressed a press conference here in which she said if the Delhi Police is impartial, it should also register an FIR on Kumar’s complaint.
Maliwal’s medical examination was conducted at the AIIMS on Friday. According to the medico-legal certificate (MLC), she has “bruises over proximal left leg dorsal aspect of approx size 3×2 cm and right cheek elbow below right eye of approx size 2×2 cm”.
Maliwal also attacked her party for dismissing as “baseless” her assault allegations against Bibhav Kumar, and said the AAP has given in under a “goon’s pressure” and is now questioning her character.
The AAP, Maliwal said, has made a “U-turn” two days after accepting that Kumar had “misbehaved” with her.
READ | Who Is Bibhav Kumar, Delhi CM’s Aide Arrested In Swati Maliwal Assault Case?
