Swati Maliwal Seeks INDIA Bloc Support Amid Assault Case, Cites Lies and Death Threats

Swati Maliwal Seeks INDIA Bloc Support Amid Assault Case, Cites Lies and Death Threats

Swati Maliwal, a Rajya Sabha MP for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has made public a letter she wrote to the leaders of the INDIA group, demanding a meeting to resolve her assault accusation involving an assistant connected to a significant alliance member.

Key aide to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose AAP is a member of the INDIA group, Bibhav Kumar was detained in May on charges that he had attacked Maliwal at the chief minister’s official residence. Kumar’s judicial custody was extended last week by a Delhi court till June 22. “I have addressed a letter to each of the major INDIA alliance leaders over this matter today. Maliwal wrote on X, “I’ve requested a time for a meeting with everyone.

‘A SMEAR CAMPAIGN’

The former chief of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) released a letter she wrote to NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on X. In it, she claimed that rather than receiving assistance, she was the target of victim shaming and attacks on her reputation from members and leaders inside her own party. “To damage my credibility, reputation, and character, a smear campaign was organized on electronic and social media platforms. I have received several threats of rape and death as a result of the lies propagated against me,” Swati added.

“I have personally seen the suffering and loneliness a survivor experiences in her battle for justice over the course of the last month. The severe victimization and character assassination I have experienced would deter other women and girls from reporting abuse. Please give me some time so we can talk about this important matter. For the same, I’m awaiting your reaction,” she continued.

The duty metropolitan magistrate granted Bibhav Kumar’s custody extension and ordered the Delhi Police to appear him on June 22 after he was produced via video conference last week. The investigating officer (IO) was not present, thus the court decided to extend Kumar’s custody by one day earlier on Friday. May 18 saw Kumar’s arrest.

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A magisterial court noted that his arrest rendered his anticipatory bail petition null and void, and then placed him under five days of police custody that same day. He was placed under judicial custody for four days on May 24 and then was placed under police custody for three days once more. On May 16, Kumar was charged with several offenses under the Indian Penal Code, including criminal intimidation, assault, and use of force on a woman with the purpose to disrobe and attempt to commit culpable homicide.

Source: News18