Swati Maliwal case: AAP questions Delhi Police’s interest in leaking PCR call details on May 13
Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday questioned the role of the Delhi Police in connection with the case involving the alleged assault on Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.
Addressing a press briefing on Sunday, Bharadwaj accused the Delhi Police of leaking information related to the case to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the media.
“On May 13, the media learned about Swati Maliwal and Bibhav Kumar’s case. BJP’s Delhi Police informed the public that Swati Maliwal called 112,” Bharadwaj said.
“Delhi Police even released the photo of the DD entry – of when the call was received. Delhi Police is the interested party because their political needs are getting fulfilled by doing this otherwise, I have never seen police doing something like this before.”
He also said that false news is being circulated claiming that the CCTV footage and DVR (digital video recorder) related to the case are missing.
“Since yesterday, false news has been spread that the CCTV footage and DVR are missing, while in reality, the Delhi Police took all the CCTV footage, including the DVR, from the chief minister’s residence,” the AAP leader said. The question arises: Why is the Delhi Police continuously spreading lies?”
He also adds that confidential material related to the case is being shared with the media and being shared on social media.
“The law of the country mandates that FIRs under Section 354 (Molestation) are kept confidential,” Bharadwaj said. “However, as soon as the FIR is registered, it is shared with all media via WhatsApp and posted on all X handles.”
He adds: “The accused had not been given a copy of the FIR until last night. All of Delhi Police’s investigations indicate that the aim is to discredit the Aam Aadmi Party just four days before the election.”
Swati Maliwal assault case
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Thursday filed a first information report (FIR) where she alleged that Kumar slapped her seven to eight times without any provocation, pounced on her, kicked her chest and pelvis, and deliberately pulled up her shirt at the chief minister’s residence when she went to meet Kejriwal earlier this week.
Following the complaint, Kumar, personal assistant and a close aide of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, was taken into custody by the Delhi police on the afternoon of May 18. He was formally arrested in the evening and was subsequently remanded to five days in police custody by a local court.
On his part, Kumar also lodged a complaint through an email on May 17, accusing Maliwal of unauthorised entry, verbal abuse and threats while also claiming the Bharatiya Janata Party’s involvement in the matter.