Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) party leader Atishi refuted assault charges levelled by its Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar, dismissing them as a conspiracy orchestrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to tarnish Kejriwal's image.
Addressing a media briefing, Atishi said that Maliwal reached Kejriwal's house on May 13 without any appointment and the whole sequence of events indicates that she was sent there on BJP's instructions in a bid to level false charges against the Delhi chief minister.
"Ever since Arvind Kejriwal has got bail, the BJP has been rattled. Due to this, it hatched a conspiracy under which Swati Maliwal was sent to Arvind Kejriwal's house on the morning of May 13," Atishi claimed, adding that the former chief of Delhi women's commission was the face and pawn of this conspiracy.
"When asked by security guards, Maliwal claimed she had an appointment with Kejriwal ... she was stopped at the gate by the guards when they found that no such appointment was scheduled. Swati Maliwal then threatened the guards, saying that she can get them fired because she is a Rajya Sabha MP," Atishi said.
She added that after sitting in the waiting room for some time, Maliwal proceeded to forcefully gain entry into the residence and sat in the drawing room, demanding a meeting with Kejriwal.
Atishi added that when Bibhav Kumar arrived there and informed Maliwal that Kejriwal is not available, she misbehaved with him.
"Maliwal shouted at Bibhav and misbehaved with him. She tried to enter Kejriwal's office by force but Bibhav stood in her way. She then pushed him ... Bibhav called security to escort Swati Maliwal out," she said.
"It's clear from all this that this was part of BJP's conspiracy and Maliwal was just a face," the Delhi minister added.
The video which has come out today shows her sitting comfortably in the drawing room (of the CM house) and threatening the police officials. She was also seen threatening Bibhav Kumar in the video. Neither her clothes were not torn nor any injury on her head can be seen in the video."
Atishi also cited a video released by AAP earlier, titled "Swati Maliwal ka sachch (Swati Maliwal's truth)", in which the Rajya Sabha leader can be seen sitting on a sofa and arguing with the security staff.
"The video which has come out today shows her sitting comfortably in the drawing room (of the CM house) and threatening the police officials. She was also seen threatening Bibhav Kumar in the video. Neither her clothes were not torn nor any injury on her head can be seen in the video," Atishi said.
In a post on X earlier today, Maliwal said that the "political hitman" has started efforts to save himself after the AAP released the CCTV footage of her sitting on a sofe.
"Like every time, this time also this political hitman has started efforts to save himself. By getting his people to tweet and playing videos without any context, he thinks he can save himself by committing this crime. Who makes a video of someone being beaten up? The truth will be revealed to everyone as soon as the CCTV footage of the house and the room is checked," she said in a post in Hindi.
Maliwal was allegedly assaulted by Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar at the chief minister's official residence on Monday. The Delhi Police registered an FIR in the matter on Thursday and named Kumar as an accused.
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