New Delhi: A day after a case was registered against him in connection with the assault on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, a team of the Delhi Police reached the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar but claimed it “was not allowed to enter the premises”.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) had summoned Kumar following allegations by Maliwal that he assaulted her during a visit to the CM’s residence earlier this week. The commission has also sought an action taken report from the Delhi Police in this regard.
According to the summons issued Thursday, Bibhav Kumar was asked to appear before the commission Friday. The NCW had taken suo motu cognizance of the allegations levelled by Maliwal against Bibhav Kumar, who has been booked under IPC sections 354, 506, 509 and 323 on the basis of a complaint by Maliwal.
On Friday, Maliwal recorded her statement under Section 164 of the CrPC at the Tis Hazari Court.
At around 9 am Monday, the Delhi Police received the first of two calls from Maliwal alleging an assault on her by Bibhav Kumar, former personal assistant to the Delhi chief minister. Although Maliwal visited the Civil Lines police station later that day, she departed without lodging a formal complaint.
Kumar has previously faced ED scrutiny in an excise policy-linked money laundering probe as well as alleged irregularities in the dealings of Delhi Jal Board (DJB). This latest incident has rocked the inner workings of Aam Aadmi Party.
Swati Maliwal, former chief of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) had not spoken about the incident until Thursday when she in a post on X (formerly Twitter), wrote, “Whatever happened to me was very bad. I have given the police a statement on the incident. I hope that appropriate action will be taken. The last few days have been very difficult for me.”
मेरे साथ जो हुआ वो बहुत बुरा था। मेरे साथ हुई घटना पर मैंने पुलिस को अपना स्टेटमेंट दिया है। मुझे आशा है कि उचित कार्यवाही होगी। पिछले दिन मेरे लिए बहुत कठिन रहे हैं। जिन लोगों ने प्रार्थना की उनका धन्यवाद करती हूँ। जिन लोगों ने Character Assassination करने की कोशिश की, ये बोला…
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) May 16, 2024
Taking note of the incident, the NCW Thursday issued a notice to Bibhav Kumar asking him to appear before the commission and stressing that “failure to comply could result in further actions as deemed necessary”.
The National Commission for Women has taken suo moto cognizance of allegations by RS MP Swati Maliwal against Delhi Chief Minister, Sh. Arvind Kejriwal's personal secretary. NCW summons Bibhav Kumar to appear tomorrow, May 17, 2024, at 11 AM.@sharmarekha @PIB_India… pic.twitter.com/E3wG2YegPt
— NCW (@NCWIndia) May 16, 2024
On Thursday, AAP MP Sanjay Singh along with DCW member Vandana Singh visited Maliwal at her residence. This was a day after Sanjay Singh had in a press conference acknowledged the incident involving Bibhav Kumar and admitted that Kumar “misbehaved” with Maliwal.
Asked about the incident during a joint conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal ducked the question to which Akhilesh responded by telling media personnel, “There are other issues that are more important than this.”
Incidentally, Bibhav Kumar was spotted alongside Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh at the Lucknow airport late Wednesday night, days after Singh stated publicly that the AAP chief was aware of the incident involving Maliwal and will initiate “strict” action against his former personal assistant.
Also read: ‘Insulted & humiliated’: Tihar cell had 2 CCTV cameras so PM could monitor me, says Kejriwal