"How could they do it?": Union Minister Hardeep Puri blasts Kejriwal, AAP over Maliwal 'assault'

New Delhi [India], May 18 (ANI): Expressing 'shock' over the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal allegedly by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's former aide Bibhav Kumar, Union Minister Hardeep Puri pointed to the timing of the incident, which took place just days after the former came out of Tihar jail on interim bail in connection with the liquor policy case.
While the former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) filed a formal complaint, alleging that she was brutally assaulted by the CM's former personal secretary, the latter filed a counter-complaint on Friday claiming that the former gained 'unauthorised entry' into Kejriwal's residence and 'verbally abused' him.
The AAP, on Friday, held a press conference dismissing Maliwal's allegations as a 'conspiracy' against the party supremo while calling her a 'BJP agent'. The claim marked a departure from an earlier press conference in which senior AAP leader and BJP MP Sanjay Singh said Maliwal was, indeed, assaulted at Kejriwal's residence by his aide.
Amid the flip-flop by AAP, the Union Minister, in a conversation with ANI, voiced grave concern over the assault, saying, "I am shocked and dismayed. He (CM Kejriwal) is released after being granted interim bail by the Supreme Court (in the liquor policy case) and this matter concerning Swati Maliwal comes to light just days after. It is shocking how a sitting Rajya Sabha member, who previously served as the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, was beaten up inside the chief minister's official residence."
"I read a copy of the FIR. The details of the assault were shocking. What kind of people...how could they do it? This isn't the first such incident. We know how the former chief secretary of Delhi, Anshu Prakash-ji, was summoned to the CM's residence and beaten up," the Union Minister added.
Earlier, after the ruling party in the national capital alleged a conspiracy behind her assault claim and a purported video clip from the CM's residence on the day of her alleged beating was widely circulated, Maliwal, in a series of posts from her personal X handle, alleged that the CCTV cameras installed inside Kejriwal's Delhi home were 'tampered with'.
"I have received information that now these people are tampering with the CCTV of the house," the former DCW chief posted from her official X handle.
Earlier, a team of Delhi Police, led by the additional DCP (Delhi North) and flanked by the SHO of Civil Lines police station and forensic officials arrived at the CM's residence on Friday evening for a recreation of the alleged assault. Maliwal was also summoned to the CM's residence as part of the ongoing investigation into her assault claim.
The probe team left the CM's residence at around 2.15 am on Saturday after a videography of the premises.
In his written complaint to Delhi Police, Kejriwal's former personal secretary accused Maliwal of unauthorised entry, verbal abuse and threats, while also alleging a BJP hand in the matter.
The Vigilance Department, last month, terminated the service of Bibhav Kumar as Kejriwal's PA over a pending criminal case.
In his written complaint to the SHO of Civil Lines police station on Friday, Bibhav urged appropriate legal action against Maliwal while calling for an investigation into her alleged ties with BJP leaders, suggesting political motives behind the incident amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Earlier, on Friday, the AAP attacked Maliwal over a purported video clip from the CM's residence that was supposedly taken on the day of the alleged assault. The video, posted by a news channel, was shared by the party with a caption that read "Swati Maliwal ka sach (Swati Maliwal's truth)".
It purportedly showed Maliwal in an argument with the security personnel at the CM's residence. The AAP's position in the matter, as articulated by senior leader Atishi on Friday, contradicted Sanjay Singh's statement that Kejriwal had taken cognizance of the assault and directed "strict action" while adding that the party stood "with Swati Maliwal".
Earlier, the Delhi Police filed an FIR based on Maliwal's complaint on Thursday alleging that she was "slapped at least seven to eight times" even as she 'continued screaming' and was 'brutally dragged' while being 'kicked' in her "chest, stomach, and pelvis area."
According to the Delhi Police FIR, Maliwal described the events of May 13 after she visited Kejriwal's Civil Lines residence in the national capital.
After the AAP flip-flop over her assault charge, Maliwal attacked her party, accusing it of saving a 'gunda' (goon) and indulging in her 'character assassination'.
The AAP MP pointed out that while her party had initially owed up to the assault on her, they have now taken a 'U-turn' in the case.
Delhi's Tis Hazari court recorded Maliwal's statement in the assault case on Friday.
An FIR has been filed by Delhi Police against Bibhav Kumar and other persons on her complaint. The FIR was filed under IPC sections 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 354B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and 509 (Word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). (ANI)