AAP's Bibhav Kumar detained amid Swati Maliwal assault allegations

Delhi Police on Saturday arrested Bibhav Kumar, a close aide to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in connection with an assault case filed by Swati Maliwal, the former chief of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW). Kumar, who was previously Kejriwal's personal secretary, was apprehended at the back gate of the CM's residence shortly after he had informed the police via email of his willingness to cooperate with the investigation. Maliwal had accused Kumar of physically assaulting her, including "slapping" her multiple times and "brutally dragging" her, which was substantiated by a Medico-Legal report showing bruises on her leg and cheek.

In response to the allegations, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) released videos claiming to disprove Maliwal's accusations, labeling them as staged. The videos purportedly show Maliwal without visible injuries or torn clothes immediately following the incident, contradicting her claims. Meanwhile, AAP leader Atishi suggested that Maliwal’s actions were influenced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the BJP was using an old Anti-Corruption Bureau case against Maliwal to coerce her into making false claims against Kumar. Atishi called for an unbiased investigation into the interactions between Maliwal and BJP members, emphasizing the need for transparency.

स्वाति मालीवाल के आरोपों की असलियत उजागर कर रहा है ये वीडियो ???????? pic.twitter.com/dBkH5YhKdD

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 18, 2024