'Swati Maliwal called me out of sheer anguish': Delhi LG backs AAP MP

Swati Maliwal has accused Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her.

Updated on: May 21, 2024, 17:05:09 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Vaibhav Tiwari

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Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday backed AAP MP Swati Maliwal over the latter's alleged assault at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's house, saying he was “deeply distressed” with the media narrative unfolding on the matter. In a statement by Delhi's Raj Niwas, Saxena, who has had a frosty relationship with the AAP-led Delhi government, claimed Maliwal had called him and narrated at length "her traumatic experience" out of “sheer anguish”. The Aam Aadmi Party, meanwhile, said Saxena's statement proved that she was working for the BJP.

A team of Delhi Police along with AAP MP Swati Maliwal at the residence of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to investigate an alleged assault case.

VK Saxena said during her call, Swati Maliwal told him about the "intimidation and shaming that she is being subjected to by her own colleagues".

“I have been deeply distressed over the unfolding media narrative over the last few days on the issue of alleged assault on Swati Maliwal, MP, Aam Aadmi Party, at the residence of Chief Minister, when she went there to meet him all alone,” Saxena said in a statement.

“Yesterday, she called me out of sheer anguish, describing at length her traumatic experience, and the subsequent intimidation and shaming that she is being subjected to by her own colleagues. She also expressed concerns over reported tampering of evidence and coercion against her,” he added.

AAP, in a statement, accused the BJP of hatching a conspiracy.

"LG's statement proves that Swati Maliwal is working for the BJP. The BJP is hatching a new conspiracy every day during elections - sometimes liquor scam, sometimes Swati Maliwal, sometimes false allegations of foreign funding. The BJP will use new tactics everyday during elections. BJP is losing badly. Modi ji's sinking ship is taking support of Swati Maliwal," it said.

Also read: BJP directs new ‘appointment’ query at Arvind Kejriwal over Swati Maliwal assault

Swati Maliwal has accused Bibhav Kumar of repeatedly slapping and kicking her in the drawing room of Arvind Kejriwal's house in Delhi. She claimed Kejriwal was inside her house when the alleged assault took place.

The Aam Aadmi Party, meanwhile, has backed Kejriwal's personal secretary, Kumar, claiming that Swati Maliwal had barged into the chief minister's house without a prior appointment. The party further claimed that she wanted to harm Kejriwal at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

On Monday, AAP leader Atishi claimed the BJP made Maliwal file an FIR against Bibhav Kumar using an old ACB case as leverage.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today asked Kejriwal to explain how Swati Maliwal entered his house without an appointment despite his Z-level security detail.

Bibhav Kumar was arrested by the Delhi police on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the police today recorded the statements of all the staff present in Kejriwal's house on May 13.

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