Delhi Cops, Forensic Team At Arvind Kejriwal’s House Amid Swati Maliwal Row
Controversy over Swati Maliwal’s allegations against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide – Bibhav Kumar – escalated sharply Friday afternoon after a police team, accompanied by forensic analysts, visited the Aam Aadmi Party leader’s residence, where the alleged assault took place.
The four-member police team is led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Anjitha Chepyala and also includes five forensic scientists, sources told news agency PTI.
In addition to collecting CCTV footage from the living room – where Ms Maliwal has claimed she was slapped seven times and kicked in the chest – the police are expected to record witness statements and speak to members of Arvind Kejriwal’s security staff, including those seen arguing with the AAP leader in blurry mobile phone footage of the stand-off that was leaked online this morning.
A police case has been filed against Mr Kumar based on Ms Maliwal’s statement, which was recorded last evening. Bibhav Kumar faces charges that include assault and criminal intimidation.
Swati Maliwal Video From Kejriwal’s Home
In the 52-second video Ms Maliwal, who is seen briefly, seems to be arguing with security staff inside Mr Kejriwal’s home. The guards are heard, repeatedly, asking Ms Maliwal to leave the building.
READ | Amid Swati Maliwal Row, New Video From Kejriwal’s Home Is Viral
Ms Maliwal refuses to leave, warns the security officers she has called the police, and dares the guards to physically eject her from the Chief Minister’s home.
In signs the relationship between the AAP and Ms Maliwal, who is a party MP, seems to have broken down, the video was shared online with the terse message, “The truth of Swati Maliwal.”
Ms Maliwal had earlier slammed the party over the video.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she referred to a “political hitman” – a remark seen by many as aimed at Mr Kejriwal – and claimed the “hitman” had directed “his people” to share the video in question to build a narrative to “save himself (after) committing this crime”.
“Like every time… 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 (after) committing this crime,” she declared.
On Thursday, in her first public comment on this row, Ms Maliwal called for action against those who allegedly attacked her, and wrote on X, “The last few days have been very difficult…”
READ | “What Happened To Me Was Very Bad”: Swati Maliwal On Assault Row
She also hit out at critics who have suggested her actions and claims were being orchestrated by “the other party”; the comment has been seen as referring to the BJP, which has launched multiple severe criticism of Mr Kejriwal and the AAP ahead of the election in Delhi, accusing both of being “anti-women”.
On Tuesday, over 24 hours after the alleged assault, the AAP finally issued a statement.
Senior member Sanjay Singh confirmed a “distressing incident” had taken place and said the party would support Ms Maliwal, whom he acknowledged as “one of the party’s oldest leaders”.
AAP Accused In Liquor Policy Row
Shortly after the police landed up at Mr Kejriwal’s home, there was further trouble for the AAP.
The Enforcement Directorate – which arrested the Chief Minister in March in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam – named, for the first time ever, an entire political party as an accused in a case.
The landmark move by the federal agency – which the opposition has accused of targeting opposition parties and leaders on instructions from the ruling BJP – could lead to the AAP being de-recognised, which could prove to be a fatal blow in the midst of a general election.
The AAP and Mr Kejriwal have denied all charges in the alleged liquor policy row, and have accused the BJP of orchestrating a “political vendetta” to defame party and leader during the election.
The ED has claimed Arvind Kejriwal manipulated the liquor excise policy (now scrapped) to get bribes of Rs 100 crore – which included funds from a ‘South group’ led by arrested Telangana lawmaker K Kavitha – for allotment of licenses. This money was allegedly then used to fund poll campaigns.
Last week the Supreme Court released Mr Kejriwal on interim bail in this matter, reasoning that as a sitting Chief Minister and leader of a national political party, he should be allowed to campaign during an election and could not be seen as a flight risk or habitual offender.
Mr Kejriwal is on bail till June 1, the end of the election, and must return to jail by June 2.
