From the mainstream media to BJP leaders, the knives are out for the Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ahead of the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls, with his party colleague making serious allegations about an assault on her at his residence.

Sections of the media questioned Kejriwal’s silence on the “assaultgate” while Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it is shocking that Kejriwal “has not spoken a word”.

Earlier this week, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal called the police alleging an assault by Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar. Yesterday, an FIR was lodged after she submitted a formal complaint. According to ANI, Maliwal mentioned in the FIR that she “was slapped, hit on the stomach, and kicked”.

In a social media post on Thursday night, she wrote, “What happened to me was very bad. I have given my statement to the police on the incident. I hope that appropriate action will be taken. The last few days have been very difficult for me. I thank those who prayed for me. Those who tried to do character assassination, who said I was doing it on the instructions of another party, may God keep them happy too.”

“An important election is going on in the country. Swati Maliwal is not important, the issues of the country are important. I specially request those with the BJP not to do politics over this incident,” she wrote.

A case has been lodged under sections 354, 506, 509, and 323, among other IPC sections, for offenses including assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, criminal intimidation, word gesture or acts of intent to insult, and assault.

According to The Indian Express, Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Khushwaha and Additional DCP 2 (North) Anjitha Chepyala reached Maliwal’s Minto Road house around 1.30 pm to record her statement, and left five hours later.

Background of the case

On Monday morning, Maliwal had made a call to the Police Control Room, alleging that Kumar had attacked her on the CM’s behest. She then went to the police station but did not file a formal complaint at the time. The National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma had written to the Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora on Monday, seeking an action taken report in the matter within three days.

In her letter, Sharma said that considering the gravity of the matter, IPC sections related to the use of criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman, using words or gestures to insult the modesty of a woman, and voluntarily causing hurt should be invoked in the FIR. The commission has also summoned Kumar to appear before it on Friday.

AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told the media that Kumar had misbehaved with Maliwal, and that Kejriwal had asked for strict action.

According to The Indian Express, Kumar was on Thursday spotted at the Lucknow airport alongside Kejriwal, who was in the city to address a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief and INDIA bloc partner Akhilesh Yadav.

As the media asked about Maliwal’s allegations, Sanjay Singh said, “When women wrestlers were protesting at Jantar Mantar, seeking justice, Swati Maliwal had gone there as DCW chief in the evening to express solidarity, but the police dragged her and beat her… AAP is our family; the party has made its position clear… Don’t play political games on this issue.”

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