AAP blasts Maliwal, claims she is ‘face’ of BJP conspiracy to discredit Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: In a dramatic turn of events and amid trading of bitter barbs in the Swati Maliwal assault case at the residence of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged on Friday that the case is a BJP conspiracy to frame Kejriwal and the party’s Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal is the “face” behind it.

Breaking its silence for the first time, the AAP termed allegations levelled by Swati Maliwal, MP and former chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) against Kejriwal’s aide as “baseless”.

AAP leader and minister Atishi, at a press conference, accused Maliwal of colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to discredit the AAP during the ongoing general election.

Maliwal responded shortly afterwards on X, directing her anger at her alleged assaulter, Bibhav Kumar, and slamming him as a “goon” who had pressured the party into attacking her.

Atishi claimed the BJP is in cahoots with Maliwal, whom she labelled the “face and pawn of this conspiracy” - and that the “rattled” saffron party had been forced into this move because of the growing popularity of the Delhi Chief Minister and his status in the national political landscape.

“Ever since Arvind Kejriwal got bail the BJP has been rattled. Due to this, BJP hatched a conspiracy, under which Swati Maliwal was sent to Arvind Kejriwal’s house on the morning of May 13. They intended to accuse the Chief Minister... but he was not there then, so he was saved,” she said.

The remarks of the AAP come a day after the Delhi Police registered an FIR against Bibhav Kumar, the personal assistant of Kejriwal, for allegedly assaulting Maliwal at the chief minister’s official residence.

Maliwal had reached the CM’s residence without an appointment and her intention was to level allegations against Kejriwal, senior AAP leader and minister Atishi alleged at a press conference.

“Today a video has surfaced that has exposed the lie of Maliwal. In her FIR, she has said she was brutally assaulted and she was in pain, and buttons of her shirt were torn. A video that has surfaced shows an entirely different reality,” Atishi said.

According to the FIR, Maliwal was “kicked and slapped seven to eight times” allegedly by Kumar. The FIR also stated that Kumar “did not relent” despite her asking him to stop.

Maliwal has also claimed that Kumar hit her with “full force again and again” but no one came to her rescue. She also alleged that despite telling Kumar that she was menstruating and in pain, he did not budge.

Atishi said the video shows Maliwal “comfortably sitting in the drawing room” and “threatening the security staff”, and that “her clothes were not torn”.

“The video shows her threatening Kumar. The charges levelled by Maliwal are baseless. Maliwal insisted on meeting Kejriwal. She is Rajya Sabha MP and she should know that the CM has a busy schedule. Kumar told her that the chief minister is busy and unable to meet her. She shouted at him, pushed him and tried to enter the residential portion of the CM House,” she claimed.

“The whole incident proves that it was a BJP conspiracy and Swati Maliwal was made its face to frame Kejriwal,” she alleged. Atishi said Kumar has also given a complaint to police against Maliwal.

On Tuesday, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh had said that the incident with Maliwal was “highly condemnable” and had claimed that Kumar had “misbehaved” with her. When Atishi was asked about Singh accepting misbehaviour with Maliwal, Atishi said, “AAP MP Sanjay Singh met Maliwal and he had only her version. But now this video has brought out the truth.”

In another related development, the Delhi Police personnel, accompanied by a Forensic Science Laboratory team, visited Kejriwal’s residence. Sources said the police plans to recreate the crime scene and gather relevant CCTV footage to aid in the investigation.

Maliwal recorded her statement at the Tis Hazari court on Friday, providing detailed accounts of the incident. The FIR lodged earlier reveals chilling allegations against Bibhav Kumar, accusing him of kicking Maliwal in the chest, stomach, and pelvic area.

In a related development, the National Commission for Women (NCW) took action by attempting to serve a notice to Kumar at his residence. However, his family members refused to accept the notice, prompting the NCW team, along with Delhi Police officers, to paste the notice on the gate of his home.

Maliwal has reacted strongly to a 52-second mobile phone video shared on Friday. The video captures a heated exchange between Maliwal and security officials asking her to leave the premises.

In a post on X, Maliwal alluded to a “political hitman,” a term many interpret as referring to Kejriwal, accusing him of orchestrating the release of the video to protect himself and the party. “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,” Maliwal wrote.

She further questioned the timing and context of the video, arguing that the truth would be revealed through CCTV footage from the house.

The AAP responded by sharing a news report of the video with the caption, “The truth of Swati Maliwal,” signalling a breakdown in the relationship between the party and Maliwal.

The video, which begins mid-argument, briefly shows Maliwal on a couch, angrily responding to security officials who ask her to leave. “I will not. I will do it. I

will do it. Today, I will tell these people everything,” she retorts. The guards insist she accompany them and wait to speak with the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP). Still, Maliwal resists, declaring she will address the issue at the Civil Lines Police Station instead.