Swati Maliwal row: NCW summons Arvind Kejriwal's PA Bibhav Kumar

Swati Maliwal 'assault': National Commission for Women summoned Arvind Kejriwal's PA Bibhav Kumar for misbehaving with former DCW chief.

Updated on: May 16, 2024, 16:07:17 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Vaishnawi Sinha

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The National Commission for Women on Thursday sent a notice to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal assistant Bibhav Kumar, summoning him to appear before the NCW in relation with the alleged assault on Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.

Swati Maliwal 'assault' incident: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's personal assistant Bibhav Kumar (PTI)

In its notice sent to Arvind Kejriwal's office, the NCW said that it has taken suo moto cognizance of the social media post titled “DCW chief Swati Maliwal accuses Arvind Kejriwal's personal secretary of assaulting her," where it was mentioned that Maliwal was ‘brutally assaulted’ by Bibhav Kumar at CM Kejriwal's residence.

The commission wrote in its notice, “Now therefore, take notice that the Commission in view of the above has scheduled a hearing in the matter on 17th May, 2024 at 11 am wherein you are required to appear in person before the Commission.”

The NCW further said that the it will take further action against Bibhav Kumar if he fails to appear before the Commission on Friday.

Read more: Sanjay Singh meets Swati Maliwal amid assault row; 'Is she safe': BJP stages protest

Swati Maliwal, the former chief of Delhi Commission for Women, on Monday went to the Civil Lines police station and alleged that a member of the Delhi chief minister's personal staff "assaulted" her at the chief minister's official residence, police officials had said earlier. She is yet to file a formal complaint in the matter.

The incident sparked a political storm in the national capital, with the opposition and AAP trading barbs over the incident. AAP leader Sanjay Singh addressed a press conference on Tuesday, saying that the incident with Maliwal was a "highly condemnable" one.

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal faced criticism by the BJP after he refused to answer questions related to Swati Maliwal while addressing a press conference in Lucknow alongside Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav.

During the press conference when the issue was raised, Akhilesh Yadav brushed aside the question saying "There are other issues that are more important than this."

However, Sanjay Singh came to the defence of his party and said, “Aam Aadmi Party is our family. The party has taken a clear stand on this issue...Can they answer on the case of Swati Maliwal, when she went to fight for justice for women wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, they made the police drag and beat her up. Don't play political games on this.”

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