Maliwal 'assault': National women's panel summons Kejriwal's private secretary Bibhav Kumar on Friday

NEW DELHI: In more trouble for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the National Commission for Women (NCW) summoned the ruling AAP chief's private secretary Bibhav Kumar on Friday in connection with the alleged assault on Rajya Sabha MP and former DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal.

"The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo moto cognizance of a media post captioned "DCW chief Swati Maliwal accuses Arvind Kejriwal's personal secretary of assaulting her. The post reported that Ms. Swati Maliwal, RS MP and former DCW chief, has alleged that the Private Secretary of (the) Chief Minister of Delhi had brutally assaulted her at the Chief Minister's residence," read the notice issued by the NCW on Thursday.

"In view of the above, the Commission has scheduled a hearing in this matter on May 17, 2024, at 11 AM. All concerned parties are required to appear before the Commission in person," it added.

The alleged assault on the former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) triggered a major political slugfest between the BJP and the AAP, with the former accusing the CM of shielding his accused aide.

Earlier in the day, as Chief Minister Kejriwal entered the venue for his joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, reporters tried questioning him on the alleged assault on the AAP Rajya Sabha member.

However, the AAP supremo evaded all queries on Maliwal.

As the issue was raised at the joint presser, Akhilesh brushed aside the query saying "There are other issues that are more important than this."

Coming to his party's defence thereafter, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of playing 'political games' on the issue, alleging that the ruling party at the Centre was behind an earlier incident in which Maliwal was 'dragged and manhandled' by Delhi Police personnel during the wrestlers' protest near Jantar Mantar.

Earlier in the day, the BJP's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala claimed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was shielding his personal assistant Bibhav Kumar, the accused in the case.

Sharing an image of AAP leaders at the Lucknow airport in which party boss Kejriwal, along with Sanjay Singh and Bibhav Kumar are seen, Poonawala posted from his official X handle on Thursday, "72 hours No FIR on Bibhav Kumar instead Kejriwal is protecting him! Roaming around with him.."

The BJP spokesperson claimed that the assault on Maliwal was done at the behest of Kejriwal and she was subjected to violence.

"It is clear: attack on Swati Maliwal was done at (the) behest of Kejriwal himself Sheesh Mahal is Apradh Mahal & just like Draupadi cheerharan--a woman Rajya Sabha MP was subjected to violence, assault," Poonawala added.