Swati Maliwal Vs AAP: Assault allegations amid Lok Sabha Elections 2024

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is presently involved in controversy after Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal accused Bibhav Kumar, a staff member of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, of assault. AAP's shifting position on the issue added to the political allegations produced by the claim, which was made amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

In response to Maliwal's report, which detailed the alleged attack in detail, the Delhi Police filed a formal complaint on May 16. Maliwal said, "He (Bibhav Kumar) slapped me 7-8 times at least while I continued screaming," according to the FIR. I moved away from him to keep myself safe. He suddenly attacked me, dragged me violently, and purposefully pulled my top up." She added that even though she told Kumar she was on her period, he was unaffected. "Bibhav Kumar was unstoppable and assaulted me with several leg kicks to the chest, stomach, and pelvis. I kept urging him to stop because I was in so much pain," she continued.

AAP's first reaction and later U-Turn

Kejriwal's assistant "misbehaved" and "acted indecently" with Maliwal, according to the AAP's initial acknowledgement of the incident. But the party took a different stance after three days. During a news conference, prominent AAP leader Atishi asserted that Maliwal was a "pawn" in a BJP-planned plot to undermine Kejriwal.

Atishi declared, "The BJP has been weakened ever since Kejriwal was granted bail. Thus, on Monday morning, they planned and sent Swati Maliwal to Kejriwal's house. It was the intention of the plot to accuse Kejriwal of being false.” In this plot, Swati Maliwal served as both the front and the back of the player.

Atishi further said that on May 13, Maliwal showed up at Kejriwal's house "unannounced, without an appointment," with the intention of making charges against the Chief Minister. Atishi claimed that Kejriwal's absence at the time "saved" him.

इस पूरी घटना से साबित होता है कि यह BJP के द्वारा रचा गया पूरा षड्यंत्र था और इसका चेहरा स्वाति मालीवाल जी को बनाया गया। इस षड्यंत्र का मकसद मुख्यमंत्री अरविंद केजरीवाल जी को फंसाना था।

स्वाति मालीवाल जी इस घटनाक्रम के बाद पुलिस के पास गईं, जहां उन्हें मेडिकल कराने को कहा तो… pic.twitter.com/helV4LripQ

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 17, 2024

Maliwal's Response and Video Footage

Maliwal turned to social media in response to the AAP's accusations, stating, "The leaders who joined the party yesterday declared a 20-year-old worker as a BJP agent." After accepting the truth in the PC two days ago, the party has now reversed course.

Maliwal and CM security personnel may be heard conversing verbally in a 51-second video that has surfaced. She refuses to go when the staff asks her to in the video, saying, "No, whatever needs to happen, will happen here now." You follow your own desires. If you touch me, I will also take away your employment."

'ये गंजा... तुम्हारी नौकरी खाऊंगी...' सामने आया 13 मई को CM आवास पर स्वाति मालीवाल से जुड़ा वीडियो
नोट: 'आज तक' इस वीडियो की पुष्टि नहीं करता #SwatiMaliwal #DelhiCMHouse #VibhavKumar pic.twitter.com/RAaBpIsxbO

— AajTak (@aajtak) May 17, 2024

Maliwal argued that the video was taken out of context and demanded that the entire CCTV tape be examined to reveal the truth.

Bibhav Kumar’s Counter-allegations

Bibhav Kumar said that Maliwal planned to hurt Chief Minister Kejriwal in a counter complaint. When Maliwal started walking from the drawing room towards the inner part of the CM residence," as per Kumar, he sensed that her intentions were dubious and blocked her path to stop her from going any farther. It was because of this, he said, that Maliwal pushed him and threatened to put him on trial.

Given the approaching election, Kumar believed that the BJP may have planned Maliwal's activities. In order to confirm his claims, he asked for an examination of Maliwal's call logs, chat transcripts, and communications with BJP officials.

Political Implications

As the Lok Sabha elections draw near, the episode has caused a major political scandal with consequences for both the AAP and the BJP. The revelation of the video footage and the opposing accounts from Maliwal and the AAP have sparked public discussion and media speculation.

The truth behind the accusations and counter-allegations will only become clear after the investigation is completed, but there is no doubt that the incident has increased the political tensions in the capital of the country and had a big impact on the election scene.